Someone To Save You
by Ash Riley
Summary: The last chapter is posted!
1. Storm

**So, just as a note, I really don't know that much about the show, but I decided to write this anyways. Also, I don't own anything except for my own characters (who aren't even in this). If I owned the show, I definitely wouldn't be writing this. (Extra note: although the font changed on this part, the prologue itself is the same. I just bolded these words so they would be separate from the story).**

The ocean had always been a calming presence in his life. Until now. The waves were crashing all around him. Lightening flashed across the sky, and the sound of thunder filled his ears. How much longer could he hold on before he lost his grip on the rocks? If he made it out of this predicament, this would be the last time he would ever come out on the cliffs during a storm again. Especially alone at 3 am. The tide had risen until he was completely stranded out on an outcropping of rocks, hanging off the edge with no way to pull himself up. And all he'd wanted to do was clear his head.

Nothing had been going right for the past few weeks. Well, at least things were going well for the rest of his family. Yet, while their worlds were looking on the bright side, his had been spiraling downward. It had only been a few weeks since his girlfriend had broken up with him. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing. Maybe it was time for him to start growing up. He had been quite impatient with his family lately and had inadvertently pulled back into himself. They had tried to reach out to him, but had given up after awhile. After all he had put them through over the past months, he didn't feel comfortable with burdening them any further.

The water was rising even higher. His fingers were numb and his arms were starting to cramp from his death grip. With every second that passed, he could feel his hold loosening. Maybe this was a good thing. The thought of dying scared him, though. Thoughts of his family flitted through his subconscious. _No, I can't die. That would hurt them too much. Nikki and Derrick have been through enough. I have to hold on._ He repeated this over and over. _If not for me, for them._ But he knew, that it was futile. There would be no one on the beach for another couple of hours. By then, he would be done for. Regret filled him. _Too bad._ _Maybe, if I had another chance, I would do things differently. If only…._

He was shivering violently now. _So cold._ _Not much longer. Then it will be over._ A strange sound broke through his reverie. Was someone calling to him? No, it was just his tired mind playing tricks on him. His strength was rapidly failing him. _I can't do it._ The end was near. That strange noise registered in his head again, but he chalked it up to the shock settling in. He was about to give up. _I wish I could say goodbye._ One more moment passed. A shuddering breath escaped him. He closed his eyes and let go. His final thoughts raced through his brain before the waters engulfed him. _If I had one chance to tell them something…Anything….I'm so sorry. I love you all…._

**Well, that's all for now. I hope you liked it. Please let me know what you think of it so far. This is the first story I've written for this show, so please don't give me too hard of a time!**


	2. Falling Inside the Black

**Okay, so I don't own any of these characters except for the ones I create. **

2 hours before

Bradin quietly crept out of the house and headed down to the beach, being careful not to let the door slam. The wind was being to pick up as he trudged through the sand out to the cliffs. A light rain began to fall as he pulled himself up onto the rocks. Hopefully, some time alone would help to clear his head. The end of summer had been a whirlwind of decisions and beginnings. He had finally begun dating the girl of his dreams, until she decided a week later that it wouldn't work out between them. Their final conversation weighed in his head. _"I'm sorry, but I can't do it. I'm not ready to be in a relationship," she had told him. "Maybe someday…."_ For over a year, he had cared for her, but it seemed like they could never overcome the obstacles between them. So, he was alone once again. But that was a lesser worry compared to the fact that his younger brother was still angry with him. They had barely spoken to each other since he had decided to leave his sponsorship. Even though his reasons for quitting had been valid, Derrick still ignored him. In fact, the only time they talked was during abrupt, necessary conversations or arguments. His aunt had tried to help smooth things over between them, but nothing had helped. Instead, they grew farther apart every day, and he could almost tangibly feel the distance.

He moved father out from the shore, scaling the slippery rocks until he was a fair distance from the shore. _Things sure have changed._ Ava and Johnny were well on their way to patching things up between them. Nikki was spending a great deal of time with Cameron, and his dad was finally getting some much-needed help. Even Jay was preparing himself to be a dad, and he and Isabel were still together. _And then there's me._ _The one who "has it all together." _He inwardly cringed as memories of past mistakes surfaced. His run-ins with the police, the time he almost killed himself, and now that potential lawsuit. Through it all, his family had stood by him. _They've all been there for me. What have I really done for them?_ He turned his face towards the night sky, but no stars hung there to comfort him. Dark clouds had completely extinguished the glow of the moon. The light rain had transformed into a heavy torrent that drenched him thoroughly. _Maybe I should head back._ Waves that had been gently splashing against the rocks now pounded against the surf. He pushed himself back from the edge of the cliff, but slipped on the loose rocks. In an instant, he was hanging off the edge. _Oh great._ He struggled to pull himself up, but the rocks were too smooth and slippery. Now his grasp was even more tenuous. Was there anyone around? Bradin frantically looked up and down the beach. A solitary figure was racing down the sand. "Hey!" he yelled. "Please help me!" But his voice was carried away by the wind. He continued shouting until the person disappeared from his view. Panic began to set in. If he let go, there would be no way he would make it back to shore, especially since all his strength was rapidly depleting. _Just…hang…on._ He yelled one more time, "Help! Someone please help me!" No one answered. He was alone.

* * *

Jude ran down the beach, the roar of the waves filling his ears and the rain pelted against the hood of his sweater that was tightly pulled around his head covering the bandanna underneath. His stepfather's angry words still replayed in his head. _"It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, our lives would have been perfect, your mom and me! They should be here, not you!" He threw the half-empty glass in his hand against the wall. "Get out! Now!" _The scene faded away, and he stopped running for a moment, his lungs starved for air. Slowly, he started walking again. His endless stream of thoughts was interrupted by a strange noise. Immediately, he panicked, his gaze darting around the solitary beach. The sound repeated. Jude scanned the ocean waves. Then, he spotted the outline of someone hanging off the side of the rocks. _He needs help. But, no, I can't. I wouldn't make it halfway. I should just go for help. There might not be enough time. _Old memories began to surface, and he stubbornly pushed them away. Without thinking further, he peeled off his sweater, tossed it to the side, sprinted into the water and began the slow swim. _Not exactly the smartest idea._ Several minutes later, he was pulling himself up on the rocks and slipped momentarily. Pain shot through his leg where a deep gash along his entire calf was now bleeding freely. Clenching his teeth, Jude ignored the blood and scrambled towards the ledge where he had last seen the boy. _Where'd he go? _"Hang on!" Just as he reached for the boy's hand, he let go. "No!" Jude yelled in frustration, and dove into the water. He got a firm grasp on the other boy and slowly began the long trek towards land. _Is he dead? Alive? God, please don't let him die! Not this time!_ He swam frantically until at last, land was under him. Half-crawling, he dragged the boy onto the sand. Kneeling beside him, Jude's hands shook as he checked for breathing and a pulse. _Slow, but still there._ "Hang on, okay?" He limped over to his sweater and reached into the pocket for his phone. "Hello, I need an ambulance right away at the beach! What beach? I have no clue!" Jude hurriedly looked around. The storm was still raging, so he had to shout into the phone. "It's by a large pier! There are some beach houses behind me, and I'm by the cove. Okay, so you know where that's at? Thanks." He hung up the phone, effectively cutting off the operator's string of questions. Jude looked over at the boy, who was still unconscious, "You're going to be fine now. I've got to go before they find me here. Take care of yourself." Jude slowly walked towards a large cluster of rocks out towards the water where he could hide until help arrived. As ambulances and police cars began pulling up, their sirens wailing, no one noticed him limping away towards the road.

He headed towards a grove of trees not far from the beach. Only once he was within the shield of branches and leaves did he begin to tremble. With unsteady hands, he untied the bandanna and a cascade of dark brown hair tumbled down over his shoulders. Jude tied the bandanna around the gash, which had finally begun to stop bleeding. _As long as he didn't see me, my secret's still safe_ was his final thought as he curled up into a ball under the overhanging branches of a tree. The flashbacks returned for only a little while before he fell into an exhausted slumber.

**Well, there's another chapter for you. I hope you like it so far, and to those who reviewed the first part, thank you! Your kind words are what keep me writing.**


	3. Not What You See

**So, this probably should have been added to the second chapter, but I thought this part deserved a chapter of its own. Once again, the only things I own in this story is the plot and my own characters. **

Bradin woke slowly to a steady beeping sound. Every inch of his entire body was aching. _If this is heaven, then it doesn't feel much different than earth._ He slowly opened his eyes to see that he was in a hospital room and the noise was coming from a heart monitor next to his bed. Ava stood by the window with her back to him. "Hey," he croaked, his dry throat making it difficult to talk.

"Bradin! You're awake." Ava turned around. She gave him some water. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," he answered truthfully. "How did I get here? The last thing I remember, I wasn't anywhere near the beach."

"No one knows what really happened. All we know is someone rescued you, called 911, and disappeared." Ava looked at him intently. "What where you doing out there in the middle of the night during a storm?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I went out to the cliffs by the cove, just to think for awhile. Then, the storm got worse, and I got stranded out on the rocks. And I couldn't hold on anymore. That's the last I remember." He couldn't look at his aunt. "I'm sorry."

"Bradin, we're just happy you're alive," she sat down beside him. "I know you never meant for this to happen. Just promise me that you won't ever go back out there during a storm again, okay?"

"I promise." Bradin said. They sat there in silence for a minute. "Hey, Aunt Ava, do they know who found me?"

"No, the 911 operator could barely understand the caller, and the wind made it harder to hear." Ava shrugged. "The number was blocked."

"Whoever it is, I owe them," Bradin looked at his aunt. "Maybe they'll come back." He quickly changed the subject. "When can I go home? I can't live on hospital food for too long." Ava laughed, and the tension immediately dissipated.

* * *

Jude woke up to the sounds of birds chirping and a shaft of blinding light hitting his face. He carefully stood up and stretched. The gash had stopped bleeding, but was now red and inflamed. _It's going to get infected if I don't clean it soon._ He carefully examined the wound, not noticing that the birds had stopped chirping and had flown away. "Well, what do we have here?" a familiar voice boomed behind him. Jude stiffened at the sarcastic voice. "Where have you been? Your dear old step-dad has been worried about you." Brian Malhoney stepped out of the trees, the smell of alcohol wafting through the air.

"Get away from me," Jude ordered, slowly backing away. Brian grabbed his arm and twisted. "Ouch! You're hurting me! Let go!" He tried to pull away, but Brian's height and massive strength prevented any escape.

"I'm sorry, but you're not getting away this time." Brian said, a dark glint in his eye. "No one's coming to rescue you." Jude didn't even flinch at the first blow, the next glancing off his cheekbone. A welt began to show, but Jude just stood there. "You little brat! I'm going to make you pay!" Jude couldn't stifle an exclamation after the next series of blows. Cries of pain were muffled by the secluded area, and the birds began to chirp again, masking any sounds.

* * *

Bradin was discharged the following morning, with strict orders not to exert himself and get plenty of rest. After the first two days, he was tired of sitting around the house. Ava and Susannah were busy with their clothing business, Johnny was with Isabel, and Nikki had taken Derrick to a movie. Even though Ava had given him permission to leave the house, he was reluctant to go anywhere. His mind kept drifting back to the night of the storm. _Who else was out there? How did I get back to the beach?_ Finally, he gave up and went down to the beach for the first time since the accident. The waves were gently lapping the shore, and there was not a cloud in the sky. Tourists and locals alike covered the beach, laughing and talking without a care in the world. He headed over to the cliffs, hoping that the sight of the accident would jog his memory. This time, he was careful to stay near the beach. The heat of the rocks soaked into his palms as he situated himself and leaned back, resting his head against a boulder.

* * *

After being discovered by Brian, Jude had been forced into his car, and he had driven him back to their house. Brian had locked him into his room, and only allowed him to come out for a couple times a day. The wound on his leg was now infected and hurt to touch or suddenly move. From the sounds outside the room, Brian had finally drank himself into a stupor and was sleeping it off. Jude quietly gathered some clothes and other items, stuffed them into a bag, tied a bandanna over his hair, and climbed out the window. The drop to the ground caused his injured leg to buckle a moment, but he broke into a halting jog. A strange feeling caused him to change course from the highway, and he headed back to the beach for one last look at the ocean before leaving town forever.

* * *

The sound of someone clumsily clambering over the rocks jolted Bradin out of his reverie. A small figure struggled to climb over the ledge with a bulky bag in his arms. "Hey," Bradin said, climbing to his feet, "Let me help you with that." The boy flinched and pulled away from his outreached hand. Bradin stepped back, puzzled by his strange behavior.

"Sorry," the boy mumbled, but then allowed Bradin to help him. The boy couldn't have been more than 13-14 years old, his thin frame covered by a baggy sweatshirt, the hood obscuring his face.

"So, what are you doing up here?" Bradin asked. The boy finally looked at Bradin, and a look of surprise flashed across his face, but he quickly recovered.

"I just came up here to see the ocean," he answered, "I guess I'll be going now."

"What's the rush? You can keep me company for a while. I'm bored out of my mind." Bradin sat down next to him. "My name's Bradin. What's yours?"

* * *

Jude felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest with fear. The boy he'd seen just a few nights ago was standing before him. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. "I'm Jude," he answered, shrugging. "Kind of a strange name, but my parents were big fans of the Beatles."

"Nice to meet you, Jude. Where are you headed from here?" Bradin asked.

"I don't know. Somewhere, I guess. I'd better get going." Jude didn't meet his gaze.

"Your parents are going to miss you, you know." _So, he does know that I'm running away._

"You don't know my parents. I'm 17 and I can make it on my own." he retorted, his eyes flashing.

"Whoa, sorry, I was just making a comment." Bradin tactfully changed the topic. "Are you going to miss the ocean?"

* * *

"I don't like water." Jude shivered as the memories started to return. . "I've really got to go now." He hurriedly turned to leave and tripped, hitting his injured leg on a rock. Pain shot through his entire body, and he clenched his teeth to keep from crying out. Looking down, he saw that the gash had started bleeding again.

* * *

Bradin turned in time to see Jude fall and noticed the blood that was slowly staining the ground. "What happened to your leg? Are you okay?" He knelt next to Jude to examine the infected gash. "You need to get this cleaned up. How did this happen? Come with me back to my house, and I can get you to a doctor."

"Don't touch me!" Jude pulled away from his touch, starting to panic.

"It's okay, I want to help you," Bradin tried to calm him down, but to no avail. Jude pulled himself to a standing position, but couldn't use his injured leg. He fell to the ground again, his hood falling off. The bandanna that had covered his hair came untied. Bradin stood there in shock as he realized that Jude was not an undersized teenaged boy as he had thought, but was most definitely a girl.

**Well, I hope you liked this chapter. Hopefully, this last part didn't come as too much of a shock.**

**To ShiaLover09: I hope this answered your question. I don't know if you figured it out before the end or not, but you definitely picked up on my clues.**

**This probably could have been written better, but it's almost 3 am, and I have homework to finish in morning. Thank you for reading this!**


	4. I See You, You See Me

**I just wanted to say I'm sorry about the confusion with my characters. The plot flows much better in my head than on paper….Anyways, I'd better add my disclaimer again: I don't own anything but my own characters.**

She was caught. As she was falling, her hair had loosened out of its precarious plait and haphazardly tumbled around her face. She quickly shielded her face from him, so he couldn't see. Her mind starting racing, and adrenaline coursed through her body. _What am I going to do? He knows. _Resignation flooded through her. She busied herself with stopping the bleeding on her leg. _I'll never be able to get away now. What's he going to do to me? Calm down and try to explain yourself!_ Vaguely, Jude could hear him saying something, but couldn't focus enough to understand what he was saying. She looked up at him with a guarded expression, hastily realizing her mistake, and she ducked her head down. _Bad move.__You need to get out of here before he notices._ She struggled to her feet and almost tipped over the rocky edge in her haste before Bradin pulled her back, and she ended up back on the ground. "Please. Let me go. I need to get out of here."

* * *

Bradin was stunned. Mere seconds had passed, and for the first time in awhile, he had no words. Questions ran through his head. _What in the world? This has got to be a dream. Now what do I do?_ Due to past situations, he was not interest in being manipulated again and determined that he would explain her facade. He wished Ava or Susannah was there to deal with this impossible girl. "Is this some kind of joke? Why are you doing this?" he asked impulsively. "Did you think no one was going to ever find out?"

"I can explain," she said, still sitting on the ground, her head bowed and hair covering her face. _How did I miss that? _Now that he thought about it, he should have seen right through her masquerade. The way she had spoken her words, and how she had carefully kept her face turned away from him. Bradin let out a sigh of frustration as he contemplated his next move.

"Please explain. I'd kind of like to know why a girl would pretend to be a boy. And then run away? How dangerous is that?" he said, his confusion quite evident. "You should go on home, I'm sure your parents will be wondering where you are." _I'll bet her parents are used to stunts like this happening all the time._ She remained silent for a minute.

"You don't know my family," Jude said coldly.

"You're right, I don't. But I bet they would like to know where you are." Bradin told her.

"I highly doubt that," she muttered. "It's not like he cares." At hearing her words, Bradin had finally had enough. The pent-up frustration and anger of the last few weeks finally broke through and spilled out.

"You know what? I bet your parents love you a lot," he paused for a moment, swallowing hard. "My parents are dead. I would give anything to see them again, but I can't."

"I'm sorry about your parents. But my family is nothing like yours," she said in a low voice.

"They're probably worried sick about you, wondering where you are. How much more are you going to put them through?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

"Yeah, you're right. My parents must be complete saints for putting up with me. Are you done making assumptions about things you don't know and couldn't possibly understand?" Jude's voice was full of sarcasm. She was angry with him, and rightly so. "What happened to you to make you think the worst of everyone? Do you honestly think everyone is manipulative and fake? Or do you just think I am?" She softened her tone slightly, "Just because someone did something to you to make you not trust anyone, doesn't mean that everyone else is the same way. You don't even know me." Some of Bradin's anger dissolved, but questions remained.

"I don't know you, but it's kind of hard to get to know someone if you think they're someone else."

"True," she agreed. "But I wasn't exactly expecting to run into you either."

"Where are you headed, anyways? Why do you want to run away?" He picked up a handful of sand and let it run through his fingers. "Why do you want to go and leave your family behind?"

"There's nothing to keep me here. No one is going to miss me," Jude said. "Do you have family here?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't trade them for anything. They're all I have."

"Your family sounds wonderful," her voice turned wistful. "Have you ever felt like no one sees you? I mean, like they don't really see who you are?"

"Yeah, I guess so, but who doesn't?" Bradin was confused once again. This girl was a complete enigma to him. He shifted his weight to his left arm, and in doing so accidently brushed Jude's arm. She recoiled from his touch, her breaths coming out in shaky gasps.

"You asked why I'm running away," she said, her voice trailing off. He shot a glance at Jude, who slowly lifted her head and turned towards him. The full meaning of her words hit him as he looked at her fully for the first time. The state of her face was a painful to see. Bradin inwardly winced as he scanned her face, noting every bruise and cut that marred her skin. Remorse filled him, and he instantly regretted his previous words. _She must think I'm a complete jerk. _She met his piercing gaze, and he could see the real fear that filled her eyes. Jude dropped her gaze as if to prevent him from looking further. _Who would do such a thing? Why did I not see this before?_ He felt hot anger rising up in him at the thought of whoever had done this to her. Bradin sat down again and was careful to keep his voice neutral and calm, "Did someone do this to you?"

"It's not going to happen again," she stated, evading his question. "It looks worse than it really is."

"You still need to see a doctor for that leg." Bradin stated.

"The cut's not as bad as it seems. My muscles are really sore, which is why I'm so clumsy."

"Been running a lot?" he asked. She looked at him intently for a minute before answering.

"You could say something like that," her face took on a guarded expression.

"Will you let me help you?" he asked impulsively, standing to his feet and holding his hand down to her. Jude wavered uncertainly for a moment, an inscrutable expression on her face.

"I don't want you to get in the middle of this." Her comment piqued his curiosity, but he stayed silent. "Why do you want to help me?"

"Because I want you to know that I do see you, and I just want to be your friend," he said. "Will you trust me?"

"Okay," she said finally and took his offered hand.

* * *

Every step she took was excruciatingly painful, her muscles were screaming at her, but Jude refused to stop as they slowly maneuvered their way through the rocks and sand. "You okay?" he asked. "We can stop."

"I'm fine," she answered through gritted teeth. _The further I get away from Brian, the better._

"Uh huh." He stopped suddenly. "This isn't working." Without warning, he picked her up. She gasped and half-jumped out of her skin in surprise.

"Sorry," she muttered. "I haven't had anyone do that to me in a long time." A sudden memory hit her. _She and Trevor had been hiking down a trail in the woods, and he had picked her into his arms and threatened to throw her in the river. The day had been full of fun, and all their cares had been forgotten. But then they had been discovered, and she had lost the most important person in her life._ He had ceased to be nothing more than a memory. Now, she was heading into a similar situation. _No matter what,_ she told herself,_ I can't let it happen again. Even if it costs me everything._

**Well, that's all I have for now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm sorry that it takes me awhile to update, but school keeps me really busy. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, etc., feel free to message me. Thanks for reading!**


	5. The Rest Is Up To You

**Author's Note: Once again, I don't own anything. Nope, not a single thing, except for my own characters. I'd also like to thank my awesome reviewers: ShiaLover09, Krissy, and justthegirl07. You guys are amazing! I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

She could feel people staring at them as they passed by. _This is not the low profile I was hoping for. _Seemingly endless numbers of people kept waving to Bradin and calling greetings to him. She pulled her bag up closer to her face._ Of all the people I could have met, I end up with Mr. Congeniality. How many people have seen me now?_ Finally, he set her down by a picnic table outside of a nearby beach house and dashed inside. She glanced around, noticing the blooming flowers and neatly trimmed bushes, a sharp contrast to her own home. Excited voices inside the house suddenly caught her attention. Jude sprang up from the table, banging her knee on the edge before hobbling over to hide behind the bushes. "Hey Bradin!" a girl's voice said.

"How was the movie?" Bradin answered.

"It was okay, Derrick liked it, anyways. How are you feeling? Keeping out of trouble?" Jude realized that the girl must be Bradin's sister. She felt her sense of panic lessen.

"Yeah, I'm a little sore still, but it's fine. I'm going out, I'll be back in a while."

"Just don't do anything too stupid."

"I'll see you later, Nikki." Bradin reappeared a few minutes later with a first-aid kit. He looked around for a minute, seeming almost relieved. Jude stepped out from behind the bushes. "Hey," he said, smiling. "Thought you ran off again."

"I didn't want to be seen. Is she your sister?" she asked, sitting on the bench.

"Yeah, that's Nikki. I also have a younger brother, Derrick." Jude felt a familiar ache tug at her. She pushed the feeling away and busied herself with cleaning the gash. "How'd you hurt your leg?"

"I was climbing around on some rocks, and I slipped. I was careless," Jude said. _While I was trying to save your life_ she silently added. _Not that you'll ever find out._

"Yeah, you really have to watch out on those rocks." Bradin said, his voice turning distant. He quickly changed the subject. "Is your name really Jude, or is it something else?" She felt embarrassed for having not told him earlier.

"Jude is my middle name. My name is Schuyler Moreland. I thought Jude sounded better for a boy's name."

"Schuyler," he said, letting the name roll off his tongue. "My name's Bradin Westerly. It's nice to meet you. What do you want me to call you?"

"I guess it really doesn't matter now."

"I like both names. Maybe I'll call you either one depending on my mood." 

"You think we're actually going to talk again?" Jude crossed her arms and stared at him.

"Why not? We're friends, aren't we? Don't friends talk?" he teased her.

"You just met me, and you don't know me."

"I did just carry you halfway across the beach. That has to count for something." "Are you saying I weigh a lot?" she countered.

"I'm just kidding. My brother probably weighs more than you. I just wanted to see your reaction." Bradin said "It was perfect, by the way." She scowled at him.

"That reminds me, you didn't tell me that you were hurt," she said, referring to the conversation she had overheard. "Besides the fact that it looks like your face was a punching bag." He reddened at her words.

"My face looks like this because I did something stupid. It doesn't hurt that much. Go look in the mirror at yourself. Your face isn't exactly in the best shape either." Now, it was her turn to blush. _Please_ _don't ask more questions._

"I'll be fine," she said, trying to keep her voice neutral. "I just need to get to the bus station so I can buy a ticket." _Should I ask?_ "Do you want to walk with me?" she asked impulsively.

"You're actually going to trust me. So, are we friends?" Jude stared at his questioning face. He looked so hopeful, she couldn't say anything. The words she had planned to say stuck in her throat. He couldn't possibly know the turmoil that was churning inside her. _I would love to be your friend. I just don't want you to get hurt._ She gave in, ignoring the doubts that tugged at her.

"Friends," she agreed, giving him a shaky smile. "Do you want to come?"

"It's kind of far. You shouldn't be walking on that leg."

"I don't have time to wait for this to heal. It's now or never. Besides, a walk is nice now and then." She promptly stood and waited for the world to orient itself. Jude tied her hair back and picked up her bag. A few minutes later, they were slowly walking in the direction of the bus station.

"I do have a couple questions to ask you," Bradin said hesitantly. Jude swallowed hard. 

"Go ahead," she answered. She had known that he wouldn't give up that easily.

"Why in the world are you pretending to be a guy?"

"I thought that if I didn't look like myself, I wouldn't get caught running away," Jude said quietly. "I'm not hitchhiking with a truck driver to some random place." She pulled a well-worn folded paper out of her pocket. "This is where I'm headed. I'm going to live with my dad."

"Your dad? Your parents are divorced?"

"My mom…died…a couple years ago. I live with my stepfather, Brian. My real dad wasn't ever in the picture. He lives a few hours north of here. I contacted him, and he said I could live with him.He's going to be out of town for a few weeks, so I'm going before he gets back. When he gets back, my real dad will get custody of me."

"You've never even met the guy." Bradin sounded doubtful.

"He's really excited, and I'm happy to go live with him. Enough about me. What about you? How's life going for you?"

"It's fine."

"Oh really? The bruised face, solitary mood, and willingness to help a complete stranger are all just a part of your ultra-charming personality." He smiled at her sarcasm.

"Things around here have changed a lot lately. Not much you can do about it."

Bradin stopped suddenly right before the entrance. He paused, "I still have one question for you." She seemed to tremble, or maybe that was his imagination. "What happened? Who did this to you?" He slowly reached out and gently traced the bruises that covered her face. She jumped back, horrified. He pulled his arm back.

"What did you do that for?" Her voice shook. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just want to know. Is going to live with your dad the answer to this? Will it end?"

"This is my last chance. I don't have any other options."

"You don't have to go….My aunt, she's good at handling these type of situations." He thought back to the some of the predicaments in which she had rescued him.

"You mean you've dealt with this before. Is that what this is? I'm some kind of helpless person who needs you to come to the rescue?"

"No, it's not like that," he tried to explain. She stalked off to the ticket window without letting him finish. _I probably should have said that differently _he chastised himself. Jude returned with a one-way ticket. He noted the destination on the ticket in his head.

"I'll be right back," she said. As soon as she had left, he made a decision. All he needed now was some paper and a pen.

She stood in front of the bathroom sink. Through the grime that coated the mirror, she stared at her reflection. Her brown eyes were full of apprehension. Hurriedly, she splashed water on her face before trying to conceal the bruises on her face. "That will have to do," she muttered, before walking back to where Bradin stood. She grabbed her bag from beside him and went to sit on a bench outside and wait for the bus. He slowly followed and sat down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. There's been lots of situations where I've needed help, and my aunt has always been there for me. I just want that for you too."

"I'm the one who should be sorry. All you've tried to do is help me, and all I've done is push you away. I'm sorry." She took a deep breath.

"Take care of yourself, Jude. I hope you find what you're looking for." The bus had pulled into the station. She stood to leave. 

"What are you going to do now?" she asked.

"I have someone I need to talk to." Bradin answered. He stepped closer.

"I hope that goes well for you." Jude said.

"Me too." They stood face-to-face; she stared at the concrete, then the bus, anywhere but at him. He tipped her chin up so she was forced to look at him. Her hesitant brown eyes stared into his green ones. The bus honked its horn as a warning.

"If you ever need help, you'll know where to find me," Bradin said, his voice completely serious.

"Bradin…thank you for everything….Maybe someday, I'll come find you. Go, take a chance on something important before it's too late. Now or never, right? It'll be worth it. Good-bye Bradin." Jude limped over to the bus, stopping at the steps to look back at him. He stood there with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. She sat down at a window seat. As the bus pulled away, she gazed out the window until she could no longer see him standing there. Opening her bag to look at the letter, a folded paper fell out on the floor. _What in the world?_ Jude unfolded the paper, and a ticket dropped into her lap. It was a return ticket. She read the note, which had a phone number scribbled on the back:

**Jude,**

**I hope everything works out for you, but just in case things change, you'll always have somewhere to come back to.**

**Bradin**

She carefully tucked the note into her bag, before pressing her face against the cool glass. The stress of the day finally overwhelmed her, and tears began to fall.

Bradin watched the bus leave before heading back towards home. Out of impulse, he decided to make a quick detour toward the beach. Crowds of people swarmed the area, but he quickly spotted the person he was looking for. "Hey Erika." She turned around quickly.

"Bradin! What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing." He felt nervous. _Just calm down. Say what you need to say._ "Listen, Erika, I know that everything didn't go smoothly between us. I just want to know if it's over between us. For good." She looked stunned at his unexpected outburst.

"I haven't really talked to you in over two weeks. Why are you doing this?"

"I don't really know why. Just want to know, I guess." 

"Bradin, I like you. A lot. But I don't think it will ever work out between us. We're heading in different directions. I don't know." She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Do we have to do this here and now in front of everyone?"

"I still like you, Erika. If there's still a chance, I'm willing to try again." Bradin knew that he sounded desperate but didn't care.

"Bradin, I…" Erika stood there with a half-guilty expression. A tall dark-haired man approached and draped his arm around her. She bit her lip. "This is Chris…my boyfriend." Bradin felt like he had been punched in the stomach. All the air rushed out of his lungs. He struggled to recover.

"Nice to meet you," Chris stuck out his hand.

"Hey, I'm Bradin. Nice to meet you," he managed to say.

"Bradin, I'm sorry. I really am." She looked pleadingly at him, willing him to understand.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come. I'll se you later." Bradin backed away and pushed back through the crowd.

"Bradin! Wait!" Erika called after him, but he ignored her. _What was I thinking?_ He felt sick to his stomach. As soon as the people thinned out, he took off running. He had no idea where he was headed, but right then, he didn't care at all.

Jude slept for most of the bus ride. She woke for the last half hour, which was spent counting the passing cars. Her stomach was filled with butterflies, and she took several deep breaths to calm herself. _Almost there. Soon, everything will be okay._ The bus stopped at the station and she got off. The station was empty. He wasn't there to meet her. Fighting back disappointment, Jude pulled out his address and started walking. Her leg felt like it was on fire, but she resolutely continued. Finally, she stopped in front of a neat white house with blue trim. _There's even a white picket fence just like he said_._ Okay, this is it. _Jude felt both excited and nervous. She pushed open the gate and walked up to the door. Wiping her suddenly moist palms on her pants, she raised a shaking hand and rang the doorbell. She could hear a baby crying and noises from a TV. What seemed like an eternity later, the door opened. A woman stood before her. "May I help you?" she asked.

"Is John Wells here?" Her voice sounded high and forced.

"Yes, wait just a minute." A minute later, he was there. She drank in the sight of him. 

"Hi, I'm Schuyler. Your…daughter." Jude looked at him hopefully. He stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Her heart skipped a beat. _Something's wrong._ He cleared his throat.

"Schuyler, yes, I'm glad to meet you." His face was closed and unfeeling. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" She already knew what he would say. Her face fell, and she concentrated on holding her emotions in check.

"I know I said that you could stay here with me, but things have changed. Nancy has two kids already, and it's tight already. I'm sorry." Her last shred of hope disintegrated.

"You're sure?" she asked. He nodded. Jude felt dizzy. _Now what? What am I going to do? Where do I go?_ She woodenly turned and headed down the steps. He went back in the house and shut the door. The sound was empty and hollow, just like her now- meaningless dreams. "I should have known that it wouldn't work out," she said to herself, as she wandered aimlessly. "Why did I think that it might be different? Why couldn't he see?" _I need him. Why couldn't he see that I need him?_ _There's nothing else for me to do. Brian will find me, wherever I go. He always does. _Suddenly, she remembered the ticket that was still in her bag. _He'll be back in a few weeks. At least I'll have that much time, and there's only place I'd like to be._ She clutched the ticket in her hand like a trophy. Jude found herself back at the station. In a haze, she once again sat down on a ripped seat of the bus and rested her head against the window. Disappointment and pain welled up in her. _This is the last night. I can't do it anymore. I'm going to enjoy it. Then, it's all over._

**Well, that's all for now. Sorry it took so long to update! School is taking up so much of my time! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. **

**As a side note: I name each chapter after a song title, so if you ever want to know what they are, then just ask me!**


	6. The Last Night

**Not to sound like a broken record or anything, but I don't own any of this, except for my own characters. Also, I'd like to say to my super cool reviewers: Thank you so much for your reviews! It's nice to know that other people actually like what I'm writing**

**ShiaLover09: Hopefully this chapter has enough drama in it (at least towards the end). Like I said to you, angst is good! And the song completely fits the chapter this time!  
**

**Krissy: Your reviews always make me smile, and make me want to write more, just so I can read another review of yours. Thanks for your support!**

**justthegirl07: Yep, she's going back. I bet you can guess what's going to happen next! Well, maybe...**

**Have fun with this next chapter!**

He had stopped running and was now out of breath. His lungs burned painfully, but it was trivial compared to the painful feeling that engulfed him. Was he still breathing? It didn't feel that way. So much for being worth it. He'd come out a much bigger fool than before. _Jude. What a strange name for such a crazy girl. Hope everything works out better for her than it did for me._ He thought of the ticket he had slipped into her bag. _She probably didn't notice it. Plus, I'm sure she's having a great time with her dad._

Finally paying attention to his surroundings, Bradin found himself pacing in front of his own house. He tried to shove his temptuous thoughts into the back of his mind before going inside. Only Nikki was there, sitting on the couch and reading a book. Derrick was nowhere to be seen, but he was probably out with his friends. "Are you going to stand there all day with the door open?" Nikki asked, not missing a word of her story. He absentmindedly reached over and shut the door. She lowered her book and stared at him. "What? No sarcastic comment?" The words barely registered, and he continued to stand there. "Uh, Bradin, I know we don't see each other very much anymore, but I can still tell when there's something going on. What's up?" He heard her that time.

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

"Come on, sit down. Maybe I can help," she said. Memories of past times when Nikki had tried to intervene in people's lives and failed miserably flashed through his mind. At this point, what did he have to lose?

"I talked to Erika. And she's got a new boyfriend now." The words rushed out of his mouth. Nikki's mouth dropped open.

"What? So soon?" Her eyes turned stormy. "How could she! I could just punch her in the face. Even if I do like her. Bradin, I'm sorry!"

"Whoa, Nikki. Slow down. Don't go hitting people. It's probably not a smart idea. They might hit back," he teased. "I'll get over her. Someday." _Soon, I hope._ Nikki smiled at him.

"You're growing up so fast," she told him in her most patronizing tone. He tousled her hair.

"Yeah, maybe, but I'll always be here to drive you crazy," he said. She swatted his hand away.

"I did get to hit someone after all," Nikki was triumphant. Bradin's mind inexplicably flashed an image of Jude and her stubborn refusal of anyone helping her. _Now that she's left, no one will hurt her anymore_ he told himself. _She's safe. _

"Nikki, if you knew someone needed help, but they made you promise not to tell, would you keep that promise?" he asked. She immediately became serious.

"You know me. I'm the master of meddling in other people's business. Not always a good idea. It kind of depends on the person." Nikki looked at him as if trying to read his thoughts. "But if they're in a dangerous situation. Like with Cameron. He didn't want me to tell, but I felt it was more important that he needed help. I cared more about him being safe rather than keeping the promise. Things did end up working out in the end. It's the best decision I ever made." She smiled knowingly. "You'll make the right choice, Bradin."

"Thanks, Nikki," he said. "You should start your own advice column or something." He laughed and ducked before she could hit him with the book she was holding.

* * *

The ride back was uneventful. Jude traced a pattern in the dust that coated the glass. She watched cars pass the slower-moving bus and counted each exit sign that brought her closer to her final destination. The other couple passengers on the bus were mostly quiet, minding their own business. A lady was talking loudly on her phone about how adorable her grandchildren were, while the man in front of Jude was reading a newspaper. There was one other man who sat near the back, but he had headphones and was in his own world. Jude leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. She fell into a troubled sleep. She dreamed, the same dream she'd had for the past year.

_The forest was quiet and still. She and Trevor were walking along the river, throwing the occasional rock in the water and enjoying a rare moment of peace. "Do you think he's going to come?" she asked._

_"Your dad has a hangover and won't be able to think straight for a few hours. We have plenty of time," he sounded certain. "I didn't sneak over to your house in the middle of the night just to have you bail out on me now. Think of this a practice run for next week."_

_"It's my fault you're in this mess. Brian doesn't trust you anymore. I don't want him to do anything to you. He'll know that you helped me for sure." Jude was nervous. Every little forest sound made her jump._

_"Don't worry so much. We've got it all planned out. A week from now, I'll come get you and we'll leave just like this. He won't suspect a thing." He suddenly picked her up. "I could just throw you in now and--."_

_"Trevor! Please put me down!" she gasped and closed her eyes._

_"I'm sorry," he apologized after setting her down. "I forgot. But I just want you to know no matter what, we'll always be friends." She laughed shakily._

_"I know, but if he does find out, then I want you to get away too. Promise?"_

_"Promise." Trevor stopped and held up his hand for her to be quiet. "Did you hear that?" he whispered. She shook her head. Was Brian coming? They crouched behind some ferns that bordered the path. She could hear footsteps. His footsteps._

_"I know you're around here somewhere, girl!" Brian's angry voice filled the night. Her heartbeat quickened._

_"Don't come out," Trevor whispered in her ear. He suddenly stood from behind the bushes. She willed him to hide again, but instead, he walked over to Brian._

_"She's not here. I think she's at home," he lied._

_"I know that she's not there or else I wouldn't be out here!" Brian's voice took on a sinister tone. "But you're here now." There were some muffled noises and a gunshot sounded._

_"Trevor!" Jude sprang up and ran over to him. It was too late. "Why did you do that?" she screamed at Brian. "What did he do to you?"_

_"Get…back…home." He pointed the gun at her. "If you ever tell anyone about this, go to the police, or whatever, I'll kill you. Now, go!" She took off running back down the path, the blood pounding in her ears, waiting for the gunshot that never came._

Jude awakened with a start. She breathed in deeply to try to calm herself. The dream haunted her every night. Every night since he'd died, he was still in her mind, reminding her of what she had done. _I shouldn't have come back._ The bus stopped at the station. She blindly stepped off the platform and headed back to the place where it had all began.

* * *

The night had been a good one. It was just like old times. Everyone was there: Ava, Nikki, Derrick, Johnny, Susannah, and Jay. They had all eaten dinner together, and were now sitting outside around the table laughing and talking. Even with the festive mood, Bradin still felt uneasy. No matter what, he couldn't shake the feeling. After another hour, he stood, "I think I'm going to go for a walk," he told his aunt.

"All right, be careful, Bradin," Ava looked at him intently. "Are you okay?" she asked in a low voice so the others couldn't hear.

"Yeah, I've just got some stuff on my mind," he answered. "I'll be back in awhile. Don't worry, I'll stay off the rocks."

"See you in a bit, then."

Bradin walked along the shoreline for awhile, watching as the last rays of the sun faded over the end of the ocean. There were still people everywhere, but all he wanted was solitude. He closed his eyes and breathed in the sea air, letting the smell permeate his senses. After a few minutes, he continued walking, wandering down the beach until he reached the old pier. It loomed high above him, jutting out over the ocean. Waves crashed against its supporting beams, and the entire structure creaked. He walked over to the ladder and began to climb it. _This is probably another bad idea._ He soon reached the top and grabbed onto the railing to pull himself the rest of the way. As he walked out towards the end of the pier, he realized that he wasn't alone. There was another person who thought that the pier was a good place to come. Someone who looked suspiciously familiar. "Jude?" he asked incredulously.

"Hi Bradin," she said, as if it was perfectly normal to see him there. "Haven't seen you for…a few hours."

"What are you doing here? I thought that your dad…." His voice trailed off. "You found the ticket."

"Yeah, I wanted to thank you for that," she told him. Her voice became tight. "It didn't go like I thought it would. He said…there wasn't room."

"I'm really sorry, Jude."

"It's okay, I knew it was going to happen." She half-turned away from him. "So, how are you doing?"

"Um, well, pretty good," he answered. They stood there in awkward silence.

"This is really high up," she said in a small voice.

"Not fond of heights?" he asked.

"It's water. Water scares me," Jude admitted. She shivered at the sound of the waves hitting the pier. "I was 15. There was a car accident. Almost drowned." She laughed. "Ironic isn't it? Used to be a lifeguard. Now, water terrifies me. I can't even swim in it, I freeze up. Except once. One time I didn't." She smiled half-heartedly at him, "Best thing I ever did," Jude stated, staring over the railing down at the moonlight hitting the water.

"What are you going to do?" he finally asked. She leaned back against the railing and ran her hand back and forth over the rotten wood.

"This is it. The last night. After tonight, it's over." She shook her head, sounding defeated. "I don't want you to see this. I didn't even expect to see you tonight. You'd better leave."

"Jude. Don't." _What is she thinking? What should I do?_ She tried to walk past him, but he had already guessed her intentions and neatly blocked her from passing him.

"You're not going to do this. I won't let you."

"Let me by," she ordered, fighting him.

"No." He gripped her by the shoulders. "I can help you." She quit struggling against him. "Why won't you let me?"

She finally exploded at him. "I don't want you to help me because I don't want you to get hurt! Why can't you understand that? I want you to be safe!"

"Don't worry about me," he said calmly.

"It's too late for that. It already happened." She slid down against the railing and buried her face in her hands. He sat next to her.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I let you get to me. Why did I let that happen? I tried so hard not to care about you. My last friend…died because of me. And now it's too late." Her words were filled with guilt. "I'm so tired, Bradin. Tired of running, tired of acting like everything is fine. The last thing I need is someone to care. But it's the only thing I want," she admitted, rubbing her eyes with her fists like a small child. He didn't say anything, but just moved closer and wrapped his arms around her. She stiffened at first, but soon relaxed and buried her face into his shoulder, her tears soaking into his shirt.

"You're not alone anymore," he whispered in her ear. "Everything's going to be all right." The words had barely left his mouth before he felt the railing completely give way behind them.

**Okay, don't hate me. I know that was probably not the best ending, but everything else I used didn't sound as good. I'm on spring break now, so I've been trying to write more. Well, that's all for now. Hope you enjoyed it!**


	7. What I've Done

**I'm sorry this has taken so long to get posted! Please forgive me for writing so slowly. I'll try to get the next chapter finished faster. Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Oh, and I don't own this show, or any characters other than my own.**

Somewhere in the midst of her thoughts, the sound of splintering wood finally registered in Jude's brain. Bradin yelled something at her, but she barely heard him. They both grabbed for a handhold, for anything, and managed to hold onto the edge of the pier for an instant. The rest of the railing toppled onto them, knocking both of them off-balance. Jude saw stars and immediately lost her grip. The drop was about twenty feet, but enough to throw her equilibrium off. She plunged into the waves. _Don't panic _she told herself, even while struggling to orient herself. Visions of her accident flashed before her eyes, but instead of erupting into a full-fledged panic, Jude was strangely calm. Finally, she broke the surface, gasping for a breath and inhaled a large amount of water instead. She treaded water frantically, her breath coming out in little gasps. The waves batter her around, and she was growing tired. _Where'd he go?_ She scanned the waves, but couldn't see anything past a few feet away. She yelled for Bradin, now starting to panic.

"Jude?" Bradin unexpectedly appeared beside her. She felt a stab of relief.

Another wave crashed onto them, tossing them onto the beach like pieces of trash. Jude ended up flat on her back on the wet sand. Bradin landed next to her. She coughed, trying to get the water out of her lungs. "Are you okay?" he asked, between coughs, his voice sounding strangely forced.

"Yeah, I feel like I swallowed half the ocean," she choked out. "How about you?"

"My arm hurts a little," he said, "I must have hit it on something. But it's just bruised." Jude turned over, half-sitting up to look at him.

"You're sure you're okay?" she asked. He nodded.

"How long is your stepdad out of town?" His question caught her off guard.

"I don't know, a couple weeks? He likes to run off for days at a time. Probably working as a hitman or something." Jude answered, rolling her eyes. "Why?"

"What will you do for now?"

"Not sure, hang out around here until Brian comes back, I guess," Jude answered. "I don't really have any other options."

"You could…come stay at my house for awhile." The words sprang out of his mouth. Her jaw dropped.

"What? Absolutely not! What would your family say? And if Brian came back early? No, there's too much at stake," she sputtered.

"First off, everyone who lives there, especially my aunt, is a little more understanding than you give them credit for. Second, you need to get out and stay out of that house you're living in. Third, if your stepdad returns, then we'll deal with that when it happens." He sounded so logical, Jude almost gave in right then.

"There's no way I'm getting your family involved in this, and I can take care of myself, and…" her voice trailed off. "And you are not going to let me say no." She sighed. "Okay, I'll do it. Provided that I feel that I shouldn't stay, then let me go."

"Deal," Bradin agreed. They shook hands. "Well, I'm glad you're not telling me to go jump off the pier or something," he joked.

"Actually, we can go back up there together, and I'll help push you off," she threatened, not very convincingly.

He stood up, looking towards the broken railing. "You know, that wasn't exactly the way I imagined us getting down, but it worked."

"Let's not do it that way again, shall we?" she muttered under her breath, trying not to laugh, but failed. "I can't believe I'm doing this!" He smiled down at her. She looked away, and her breath caught in her throat. _What in the world was that all about_ she thought. Bradin hurriedly jumped up from the sand and brushed himself off.

"Come on, you know you're going to love it," he said. She took his offered hand up.

"I guess we'll wait and see," was all she said.

Jude's heartbeat quickened as they neared the house, but she set her jaw and walked with him up to the door. He confidently walked into the house with Jude trailing uncertainly behind him. Everyone was sitting in the living room watching a movie and didn't notice the disheveled pair. Jude's nerves got the best of her, and she tripped, but caught herself. The noise caught their attention, and the whole group turned to stare at them, standing there dripping water on the floor. Jude turned bright red and half-hid behind Bradin. Ava broke the awkward silence. "Bradin, what in the world is going on? Why are you all wet?" she asked, a hint of worry in her tone.

"We kind of took an unexpected detour into the ocean," Bradin said. _If I told you the rest, you'd probably kill me now_ he thought to himself.

She caught a glimpse of Jude and her eyes widened. "Who's this?" she asked, surveying the small brunette, her eyebrows raised.

"This is my friend Jude. Jude, this is my Aunt Ava, her boyfriend Johnny, my sister Nikki, little brother Derrick, Jay and Susannah are friends." He rushed through the introductions. "Jude needs a place to stay for a few days, and I told her she could stay here." His statement was met with a stunned silence. Then the pandemonium began. Everyone began to talk at once. Jude felt extremely uncomfortable.

"Listen, Bradin, I don't think this is going to be a good idea," she told him, slowly edging backwards. "Thank you for trying, though. I'm pretty sure I can find my way to the door."

"Wait," he said, blocking her exit. "Everyone! Just stop!" The room fell silent. "I'm sorry, I didn't think this would cause such a big deal. I'll explain everything, but can we at least get dried off first?" Bradin gently pulled her out from behind him. She was forced to step into the light. Now her face was exposed. The room went dead quiet.

"Oh no," she breathed, suddenly remembering what her face looked like. She silently wished for the floor to open and swallow her up.

"Okay, I think this can wait for awhile," Ava said, her tone softening. She turned to Nikki. "I need you to get some clothes from your room for Jude. She's a little taller than you, but definitely closer to your size than mine. Take her up to the bathroom, so she can dry off. Bradin, why don't you go get changed, too. Then, come back downstairs," Ava said. Jude nervously followed Nikki upstairs, while Bradin took himself off to his room. Several minutes later, he returned to the kitchen where everyone was waiting. "Bradin, what were you thinking? Inviting a strange girl to stay here with us?" Ava tried to keep her voice steady. "Why do you trust her? I thought you'd learned from previous situations."

"It's not what you think! Did you see her? Where she's living right now is not a safe place. Her stepfather isn't exactly a good guy. I think you noticed that much. She's scared to death! This is the last place she wants to be! I had to practically beg her to come here. I thought you would understand." Bradin said, frustration pouring out of him. "It's complicated."

"Maybe he's right, Ava," Johnny interjected soothingly. "We haven't heard her side of the story yet."

"I just don't want Bradin to get himself into another situation. I still remember some of those times," Ava protested.

"Right, but he's changed a lot since then. I don't know anything about this girl, but since Bradin feels he's doing the right thing, the least we can do is give her the benefit of a doubt." Johnny said.

"Thank you," Bradin said. Jude entered the room at that moment, trying to straighten out the tangles in her freshly washed dark hair.

"Um, hi?" she said, apprehension covering her face.

"Why don't you come sit down?" Johnny said, gesturing towards a chair. She perched herself on the edge. Bradin sat down next to her.

"I also want to apologize for the way I acted earlier," Ava said. "I overreacted because…I don't want Bradin to get hurt. However, I know his heart's in the right place. That's why we've decided to let you stay."

"I know this must look bad, coming in here looking like this." Jude began. She hesitated. "My living situation is kind of…complicated. The last thing I want to do is make things difficult for all of you."

"No, it's okay," Johnny said. "For tonight, I hope you don't mind camping out on the couch. We'll come up with a different arrangement tomorrow." He looked at Ava for affirmation. She nodded slightly. "Then it's settled," he said, standing and stretching. "The rest of this conversation should wait until tomorrow. I think we could all use some sleep." Everyone started to disperse. Ava gave Jude some blankets and a pillow.

"Thank you so much," Jude said to her.

"You're welcome," Ava smiled at her. Bradin walked over to Jude.  
"I told you everything would be okay," he whispered in her ear. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Thank you Bradin…for keeping me from doing anything stupid. And for tonight." She watched as he left the room, before lying down on the couch. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Jude woke up to the door quietly closing. Sleep had been long in coming, and what little she got was continually interrupted by dreams. In the dim light, she saw Bradin outside slowly walking down to the stairs. She got up and quietly went out to stand on the patio.

Bradin didn't have to turn around to know that she was standing behind him. "You could come join me," he offered, moving over on the steps leading to the beach.

"What are you doing up so late?" Jude asked, coming to sit beside him.

"Couldn't sleep," he said. She shot him a knowing look.

"Me neither," she agreed.

"When you were in your accident," Bradin asked, his expression inscrutable, "was that when you became afraid of water?" She bit her lower lip and her eyes took on a far off look.

"I didn't tell you that I had a younger brother," she said, her voice thoughtful. "His name was Noah. He was born when I was eight. The best little brother I could have asked for." Jude smiled half-heartedly. I was fourteen that year. We were late for school that day. I just had to be young and stupid that morning. Took me too long to get dressed. Mom and I were fighting, and she was speeding. All of the sudden, she swerved and the van went through the guardrail into the river. Somehow, I got out through a window. They never came out. I waited for a minute, then went back in. I got caught on some of the twisted metal and broken glass trying to get back through the window. The rescue crew got me out in time, but they couldn't save my family." She turned towards him.

"I'm sorry that happened," he said. She didn't say anything for a minute, but just nodded.

"It's the worst feeling, isn't it? Being trapped under the water like that?" she said in a low voice.

"Yeah," he took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I hadn't been out in the water since...I think I get where you're coming from."

"You had nightmares, that's why you're awake," she stated. "Isn't it?"

"How'd you know?" he asked.

"Because the same thing happens to me every time I get back in the water," she said matter-of-factly. "I think of it as an atonement of sorts. For all the things that I've done."

"They go away eventually, right?" He rested his head on his arms.

"They do. Eventually," she smiled encouragingly at him. "they'll stop." They sat there for a moment, listening the breeze rustle the tree leaves and watching the waves come in.

"I have another question for you. Who's Trevor?" Bradin asked, watching her face grow still. "When we were out in the ocean, you called to me, but said his name instead."

"Trevor." Jude rested her head on the table. "He was the best friend I've ever had. Actually, he was my first big crush. But I'm never going to see him again. Every day, I wish he was here," she smiled wistfully. "Have you ever had anyone like that?"

"Yeah, I think I have," Bradin thought of Erika and his heart dropped. "It didn't exactly work out either."

"You still like her, though," Jude said, as more of a statement.

"I think I do," he answered slowly.

"Why don't you talk to her?"

"I did. Earlier today, in fact," he sighed heavily. "Didn't end well."

She impulsively gave him a hug. Bradin suddenly felt strange, as if he wasn't actually there, but was instead watching someone else. "I think this is the beginning of a promising friendship," he said.

"I would have to agree," she smiled, suddenly feeling shy.

"Jude?" She turned towards him. Her eyes widened at the strange look on his face.

"What is it?" She felt nervous, scared, and excited all at the same time. Bradin leaned towards her. Her heart skipped a beat. _Wait a minute! What are you doing?_ she asked herself. She snapped out of her reverie and scooted away. "We shouldn't. This isn't right. You…like someone. And I'm still trying to figure out my life."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I don't know what got into me." Jude got up from the stairs.

"We're both lonely, caught up in some sort of a moment, but I don't think that this is a good idea," Jude told him.

"I'd better try to get some more sleep. Good night, Bradin," she said breathlessly and almost ran back into the house. Bradin buried his head into his hands. _What in the world has gotten into me?_ The night suddenly seemed empty and cold. He slowly followed her into the house.

**Okay, I'm done for now. I hope you like the chapter! Once again, I'm sorry for keeping you guys waiting so long. Thanks for reading!**


	8. Come Right Out and Say It

**Well, here it is. Another chapter finished...finally! I'm sorry it took so long! Once again, I don't own anything except my own characters.**

The morning was bright and warm, and sunlight streaming from the windows hit the couch where Jude had restlessly tossed and turned for the remainder of the night. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut against the bright light, but soon gave up and got up. Quietly, she went into the bathroom and tried to straighten out the tangles in her dark hair to no avail. The house was deathly quiet as she folded the borrowed blankets and neatly stacked them beside the couch. She was having trouble opening the door when a voice stopped her in her tracks. "Going somewhere?" Jude spun around to find Bradin standing there watching her struggle. "It helps to unlock the door first."

"Oh, right, I knew that," she turned the lock, feeling completely embarrassed. "I was just checking to make sure the lock worked. You'll be glad to know that it is in perfect working order."

"I see. And where are you running off to now?"

"Actually, for your information, I was going to get my things that I left out by the pier. Hopefully, they're still there. You could come if you'd like," she offered. "But I can't promise that anything exciting will happen. No falling off the pier or anything adventurous like that."

Once they were a little ways from the house, Bradin cleared his throat. "Listen, I'm really sorry about what happened last night. I guess I wasn't really thinking straight."

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize. I was just as much in the wrong as you were. Two lonely people in the wrong place at the wrong time is a setup for disaster. I guess we'll have to be more careful," Jude said. "Plus, we've known each other for how long, a day?"

"I'm not exactly well-known for that." Bradin told her. "You're right, though."

"It's not that I wouldn't have…you know," she said. "But I know, and I'm sure you do too, that if I was kissed, I would want to know that the guy was kissing me and not someone else."  
"Meaning?" he asked. Her face turned a shade of pink.

"I don't want to be a substitute for you because you're lonely, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to be one for me." The words came out of her in a rush.

"Well, I can definitely assure you that you will never be a substitute for anyone. You're too good for that." He watched her unconsciously relax. "As for--." She began to walk faster through the people beginning to congregate, so his words were too low for her to hear. "As for last night, you being a substitute was the last thing I was thinking of." _There's no way I could ever think of you as one_ he thought to himself_._ She noticed he was lagging behind her, so she slowed her pace.

"Didn't you say something about a girl last night?" she asked.

"Yes," he was reluctant to admit. "My ex-girlfriend." The words were still new to him. Fresh and painful.

"How long has it been?" she asked.

"Just a couple of weeks," he answered.

"Then I'm really glad nothing happened last night. That would make things way too complicated," she told him.

"Don't worry. It won't happen again," he said.

"Good," Jude agreed. Yet she felt strangely disappointed. _That's a good thing._ _Then why do I want it to happen again?_ She shrugged off the feeling. "Just friends?"

"Right, just friends," he agreed. _Let's see how long that lasts._

They were now by the pier, where she ran over to where she had left her bag. "Oh good, it's all here," she said, after rummaging through the contents.

"What do you have in there that's so important?" he asked. "A million dollars?"

"Yeah right." She laughed at him. "There's a picture of my family, me and my brother. A copy of my birth certificate that I was going to show my dad. Then just some random stuff from home," Jude said, pulling out a white envelope. She hastily stuffed it back into the bag and zipped it shut. "That's about all."

"What was that?"

"Oh, just a letter from my mom. Nothing important." She looked at him questioningly. "Why do you want to know?"

"Whoa, okay, I was just asking." He held up his hands in a sign of surrender.

"Sorry, I must be the most paranoid person you've ever met. Kind of a habit." Jude studied him for a moment. "What are you looking at?"

"Usually I'm out on the waves right now. I haven't been out there for awhile." He stared at the waves crashing on the rocks.

"And you don't feel comfortable going back out there," she said as more of a statement. "Kind of like the dreams."

"Yeah," he sounded somewhat distant, "I figure things will go back to normal eventually."

"Take it from someone who knows. You're never the same." Jude told him. "When a situation or person impacts your life, you're never the same. But maybe that's the cynical side of me talking." They stood there in the sand, people brushing past them, not paying any attention to the two of them.

"What was the situation for you? The one that changed your perspective?" Somehow, he already knew the answer. "It's something to do with your friend Trevor, isn't it?"

"Yes," she said. "Even now. There's never been anyone like him since. I can't, I won't forget him. That's the only thing I can do for him."

"What happened to Trevor? Why can't you see him again?" he asked, unprepared for her reaction. She shook her head.

"Please. Don't ask," she warned him, her voice jumping up an octave.

"He's the friend you were talking about earlier, isn't he?" Bradin said, connecting the dots. "Something happened, didn't it?" Her response told him everything.

"I told you not to ask! How many times must I tell you that?" She swiftly walked away down the beach. He followed slowly. "It's been over a year. They say time heals all wounds. A bunch of junk if you ask me." She sounded bitter, yet defiant. "How do you deal with the fact that your parents are dead?" Her words stung, and she immediately regretted them. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"You want to know how I feel?" he stopped in his tracks and faced her. "Every day I wake up and the first thing I remember is that they're gone. That day…I'm never going to forget it. When you say that it takes time, I definitely know what you mean. It's been two years." The look on his face made her heart ache. "I didn't deal with it well at the beginning. In fact, I could write a book on all the stupid things I did. But now, I'm trying to change."

"Well, I would have to say that you're doing a good job," she smiled at him.

"I don't think that our situations can really be compared. But, no, I don't think of you as some redemption case to help make me a better person. I guess I saw something in you that I could relate to."

"You remind me of him, you know."

"Of your friend?"

"He was willing to do anything for a friend. That's what scared me the most about him too."

"So, I scare you?" Bradin asked in disbelief.

"No, I just don't want you to go down that same road."

"What are you afraid of? Are you afraid someone's going to hurt you if you tell?"

"No, that's not it at all." She bit her lip. "I'm afraid something would happen to you or your family. And that scares me more than anything. Someday, you're going to wake up and I won't be there. When that day comes, I want you to promise not to look for me." She was completely serious.

"What?"

"I would tell you, but I can't. Do you trust me enough to know that I'm telling the truth?"

"Yes." He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "I won't ask anymore unless you tell me I can."

"For the first time since I met Trevor, I've got a friend, and I don't want to lose that. If I tell you, then things will be set into motion that we can't control. I would rather live with these secrets forever than let anything happen to you." Jude looked him in the eyes. "Do you understand?"

"Nothing is going to happen."

"You don't know that," she said.

"But I do know that we've discussed enough doom and gloom to last for a lifetime," he said, abruptly switching the subject. "For the next week or two, you are going to have a normal life. If you could do anything, anything at all, what would you do?" She stared at him as if he was crazy.

"Have you just lost your mind?"

"No, I'm actually feeling pretty normal today," he teased. "I just want to know what your dream day would be."

"My perfect day…my mom and brother would be there. The day itself would be a complete surprise. Those are the best times for me. I don't really care what happens." Jude said. "Why do you ask?"

"You don't have anything big planned for this Saturday?" She shook her head. "Good. Keep it open."

"Why?"

"Because, my friend, you are going to have the best day of your life," he told her, his voice triumphant. She stared at him.

"Okay, now I know you're lost it," she said sarcastically, even as she smiled inwardly. "But I'll be sure to pencil you in." Jude began to feel uncomfortable under his gaze, the same feeling as the night before. "Oh, the time. Shouldn't we be getting back to your house?" She backed away from him.

"Jude, wait." Bradin's voice stopped her. He stumbled over his words. "Last night. I was lonely, but it wasn't all because of that."

"I know," she said. He continued.

"Do you think, If we had known each other longer, and if there wasn't other people involved, we…."

"I don't know," she answered. "If there wasn't anyone else…then, maybe."

"But maybe with time," he said.

"With time," she repeated, trying to keep her voice neutral, but had to fight the urge not to skip back to the house. The next three days couldn't go by fast enough.

**I'm so sorry that I take so long to write these chapters. I give you permission to write me angry messages if I'm taking too long:) Thanks for reading! Oh yeah, the song is Come Right Out and Say It by Relient K.**


	9. Why Didn't I Tell You

**I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update! Hopefully, this chapter will make up for my lack of writing. Oh yeah, before I forget: I don't own the show, but I do own my own characters. **

Jude sat out in the patio area. Once again, she couldn't sleep, but this time was different. There were no dark dreams to haunt her. Tomorrow as Saturday, the day she had been anticipating. But now it had arrived, and she wasn't so certain anymore. She felt nervous, excited, and scared, feelings that had not been experienced in a long time. What was going on with her? She knew. Even though Jude would never admit it, she knew the reason. It was him, he was getting to her. Over the last few days, they had spent long hours in between his job talking about everything ranging from the mundane daily happenings to more personal issues. Although they had only known each other for a little while, she felt like it had been forever. Jude hadn't been so comfortable with someone since she had known Trevor. And that's why she was still awake. She felt guilty. Guilty for even thinking about moving on from the past. "It's been more than a year, Trevor," she whispered into the night, wishing her old friend could hear her. "When is this going to end? I want it to be over. I miss you. I miss you a lot. But I'm afraid I might miss my chance. Just like I did with you because I never told you. And…I just want you to know I'll never forget you. But, I think that it's time." There was no answer, just the sound of the ocean breaking on the rocks. _You know what you should do_ she told herself. However, she had already made her choice, and keeping her resolve was growing harder by the day. The only thing left to do was to tell him. _But how am I ever going to do that?_

* * *

Early in the morning, Jude was awakened from a deep sleep by a hand gently shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyes, squinting to see through the darkness that still permeated the room she was staying in with Nikki. Bradin was standing there. He motioned for her to remain quiet as Nikki was still sleeping. She quietly followed him out into the hall, rubbing her eyes and trying not to yawn. "What's going on?" she asked sleepily.

"Good morning to you too," he answered cheerfully, sounding far too excited in her half-awake opinion.

"It's still dark out, are you crazy?" she mumbled, scowling at him. "You don't even like mornings."

"This isn't just any day," said Bradin. "Plus, we need the extra time."

"I don't think my perfect day includes waking up at the crack of dawn."

"You're not going to want to miss this," he told her. She inwardly groaned.

"Give me a minute," she said, going back into Nikki's room and closing the door. Jude hurriedly threw on a blue shirt and shorts, struggling to see herself in the dark. She pulled on a sweater before running a brush through her hair and tying her hair back. "Guess that will have to do," she muttered, rushing downstairs to the living room where Bradin stood waiting. He was wearing a backpack and handed her a glass of orange juice and another backpack. She sipped the juice and adjusted the straps so they would fit comfortably.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah, what in the world are we doing? Hitchhiking?"

"Wait and see," were his only words.

They walked down to the beach. The early morning darkness was already lessening. A thick mist hung over the water, and the waves gently lapped at the shore. They were the only people there and were completely alone, with the exception of a few seagulls skimming the sand, searching for any potential specimens that had been left by high tide. Jude bent and picked up a small white shell. She wiped the sand off and held it in her palm. "This is beautiful."

"I take it you don't come down here at low tide very often," Bradin said.

"I never went to the beach when we lived in Oregon. Family vacations weren't feasible. And here, there were other things to keep me busy," she answered. "This is great, thank you so much."

"The best part's about to come, but we have to get ready." He led her to a strip of land that jutted out over the water. They situated themselves against the rocks, sitting on a blanket that was supplied from her bag. Jude sat there expectantly, waiting for something to happen. "It might take a few minutes, we're kind of early." Bradin said. Several minutes had passed, and nothing had occurred. Bradin seemed quite calm and relaxed. His expression was secretive, as if he was withholding something from her. She was about to make a comment, but decided against it. Then, gradually at first, light began to shine behind them. The rays hit the water and she watched in amazement, as the mist slowly rolled back off the water. The view was stunning, and she realized that she had been holding her breath.

"It's absolutely beautiful," she breathed, watching the rays glint off the water. She beamed at him. "I love it."

"Thought you would," he said, his face full of satisfaction at her reaction. They sat there until the fog had completely disappeared, and the sun was fully over the horizon. Should she tell him now? Jude was about to say something, but he beat her to it. "We should get going before it gets to hot." The chance was gone. "Are you ready for what's next?" Bradin asked, as they made their way back to the beach. They walked into the main part of town.

"We're going on a little adventure," he told her.

"Oh, so we are hitchhiking after all," she laughed.

"Not exactly," Bradin said. They ended up at a very familiar place.

"The bus station?" She gave him a funny look.

"Nope. Wrong again," he said, "It's past that." They continued walking. The populated landscape began to be replaced by trees and wooded land. After awhile, a narrow gravel road replaced the paved road. He led her onto a path that headed into the trees. She followed more tentatively.

"Where are we going?" she asked, feeling slight trepidation at the dark shadows that fell on the path. She shivered, remembering what had happened the last time she had ventured into the woods.

"This trail leads to the top of the mountain. It'll take a few hours to get there, but the view is incredible. Think your leg is up to it?" Bradin asked her.

"Yeah, it's doing pretty good. The infection is healed. It'll handle it." Jude said, "I can't say that my extremely out-of-shape self can make it halfway up that mountain." He laughed at her statement.

"With all the running you do, I think you'll be just fine." The path wound up through the trees. The humidity in the air had increased, and soon Jude took off her sweater and tied it securely around her waist.

"Have you made this hike many times?" she asked, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her eyes.

"Actually, I haven't. Johnny suggested it to me," Bradin admitted, throwing her a charming grin. "You better hope we don't get lost."

"That would make my day perfect," Jude said. "It really is beautiful here. How different is it from where you lived?"

"For one, Kansas is flat. There's not very many trees. Where I lived, there were tons of fields and lots of farms. It was the complete opposite of here."

"Do you miss it?"

"At first, I did a lot. I thought I would never fit in here. But now I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Can I ask you something?" she said, stopping on the path.

"Is it about my parents?"

"Yeah," her voice was small. She watched as he tensed. "What happened to them?"

"That day, it had been raining really hard. We lived near a dam that liked to flood periodically. It started flooding that night. My parents left me in charge of Nikki and Derrick, while they went to go help sandbag. Then…the dam broke. And..." He didn't finish. Jude felt a deep ache inside of her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "It wasn't right of me to ask."

"I don't usually talk about it," Bradin said, his voice holding a hollow sadness. "I wish I had been there with them." She didn't say anything, but reached out and grabbed his hand and squeezed it lightly. He just looked at her, a sad smile crossing his face. There was nothing that needed to be said. As if coming out of a trance, she let go of his hand, feeling slightly embarrassed at her boldness. They continued on up the mountain.

Finally, they reached an opening in the trees. They stepped out from the woods into a small meadow, which ended in a drop-off. Far below, the whole of Playa Linda could be seen, and the ocean stretched far-off into the horizon. The sunlight was hot and bright, and they shaded their eyes from the glare. "This is it," Bradin said, gesturing around him. "What do you think?"

"It's gorgeous up here! I've never done anything like this in my life." Jude smiled. "Today has been amazing." She watched curiously as he began taking things out of his backpack and arranging them on the tall grass.

"Since I knew it was going to take awhile to get here, I thought I'd better bring some food along for a picnic," he explained. "For your information, I didn't make the food, my aunt did, so you don't have to worry about food poisoning."

"You really did think of everything, didn't you?" she said, taking the offered sandwich and water bottle.

"I had a little help from Aunt Ava and Johnny," he admitted. "But I figured that you would enjoy something like this." They ate in a comfortable silence. Afterwards, they packed away the leftovers back into the backpacks. Jude stretched out on the grass and closed her eyes. What seemed like an instant later, she opened her eyes to see that the sun was angled more towards the horizon. She looked over to see that Bradin had also fallen asleep next to her. Jude smiled to herself, reached over for her water bottle and promptly poured its contents on his head. He immediately woke up, sputtering and coughing. " Huh, what?" he looked around bewilderedly. She began to laugh.

"I thought you looked a little hot and needed to cool down," she said as innocently as possible.

"Oh really?" he said. When she looked away, he dumped what was left of the ice keeping the food cold all over her. She shrieked and jumped up.

"Hey, that's not fair!" she protested.

"At least you were awake," he said smugly, getting up to stand next to her. Jude walked toward the edge and gazed at the miniature buildings and trees that were far below.

"I wish I had a camera to take a picture of this," she said.

"I already thought of that," Bradin said, magically producing a digital camera.

"What didn't you bring?" Jude asked in amazement.

"An umbrella. Don't forget to smile!" he snapped a picture.

"Not a picture of me, I meant one of the view!" she told him.

"How else are we going to prove that me made it up here?" He stood next to her and took a picture of the two of them before taking several shots of the meadow and ocean below. Jude cleared her throat. _Maybe this is the right time_ she thought.

"Bradin?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah? What's up?" he said, glancing at her.

"Um, nothing, I can't remember what I was going to say," Jude shook her head, while inwardly berating herself. What was her problem? "You're such a wimp," she muttered. "You're going to tell him before the day's over," she told herself.

"We'd better start heading back down," said Bradin. Jude sighed heavily. The moment was over.

The hike down was much easier than the ascent, so time passed quickly. They were fairly quiet as they arrived at the trailhead and began the walk back towards the house. Soon, they were at the house. Everyone was gone, and they quickly unpacked and put things away. Both of them flopped down on the couch, thoroughly exhausted.

"I think I got burned today," Jude said, feeling her hot skin. Bradin leaned on one elbow and studied her face.

"Yeah, I think you're a little red." He got up and rummaged through a kitchen drawer. "Here," he tossed her a tube of aloe vera. "That should help."

"Thanks," she answered. Bradin came over and sat down again. Her heart started beating faster. This was her chance. "I also want to thank you for today. It really has been the best day of my life."

"You're welcome," he said. "I think it's been my favorite too."

"And I wanted to tell you—." She was cut off by a knock at the door. Bradin went to go answer it. He opened the door and stepped back in surprise at the person who was standing there.

"Erika?"

"Hey Bradin," Erika said. She stepped inside the house. Jude looked over the back of the couch and saw her for the first time. So this was Bradin's ex-girlfriend. Erika was very beautiful, much taller and gorgeous than Jude had expected.

"Erika, this is my friend Jude," Bradin introduced them. "Jude, this is Erika."

"It's nice to meet you," Jude said, her voice not betraying the sudden sinking feeling she was experiencing.

"The pleasure is mine," Erika said. She turned to Bradin. "I need to talk to you. Do you mind if we go for a walk or something? That is, if you aren't busy." Bradin shot a glance at Jude.

"Go ahead, I'll wait here," Jude told him.

"I'll be back soon, then you can tell me what you were going to say," Bradin promised. Then, he and Erika went out the door. Jude buried her face into a pillow on the couch.

"You just couldn't say it, could you?" she said angrily to herself. "Why didn't I tell him? It's probably too late now. I'm nothing compared to her. Why did I even think that he would ever like me?" Jude sat there and waited. An hour passed, then another. She continued to sit on the couch, yet her hopes were quickly fading. Finally, Jude made up her mind. She went upstairs and began to pack her things. There was no way she wanted to be around if he started dating again. She walked through the house with her bag, trying to capture the place in her memory. Eventually, Jude began to walk down the street, heading back to her house. She set her jaw to keep from letting any emotion out. Hot, painful tears fell, but she angrily wiped them away. Before long, she was standing on the sidewalk, staring at the dilapidated, rundown house she called home. No sooner had she shut the front door, a knock sounded. She peeked out the window. A police car was parked out front. _What's this all about?_ she asked herself. Jude opened the door. A policeman was standing there. "Can I help you?"

"Hello miss, is your mother at home?" he asked kindly.

"No, she died a few years ago," Jude answered nervously. His face took on a concerned appearance.

"Is there another adult living here?"

"No, it's just me." She didn't like the way he looked at her, with an almost pitying expression.

"I need you to come with me down to the station," he said. His tone was firm. Jude didn't dare to refuse him.

"What's going on?" she asked, stepping outside and shutting the door. "Did Brian get arrested or something?" They walked to the car and she got in the back.

"I'm sorry, I can't say anything until we get to the station," he said. Jude felt cold and an uneasy feeling filled her. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

* * *

Bradin almost ran back to the house. The conversation with Erika had gone far too long. She had wanted to apologize to him for the other day, which he accepted. Then, they had started talking about the past, and what had happened between them. Thanks to their conversation, Bradin finally knew what he wanted; he was ready to move on. He wondered what Jude had wanted to tell him, as he walked up the driveway to the house. Ava came rushing out the front door. "Bradin, get in the car, we need to get to the police station."

"What? What happened?" he asked, a feeling of panic washing over him.

"Get in! I'll explain on the way," she said. He got into the front seat. They sped out of the driveway and down the road.

"What's going on?" Bradin asked.

"Jude called just a few minutes ago. She's down at the station." Ava told him.

"What? Did something happen to her?" he asked, as his heart dropped.

"Not to her. Her stepfather. He died two days ago," she said. Bradin was stunned. He should never have left. _Why didn't I tell you how I felt when I had the chance?_ he thought. _Please don't let it be too late._

**Okay, please don't kill me now. I will definitely try to speed up the updating for the next chapter. Also, a lot of things will be cleared up in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!**


	10. Whatever It Takes

**Okay, so it's been ages since I updated. School's been incredibly busy lately, but it's better late than never, right? Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter, this one's for you guys!**

Bradin and Ava rushed into the station. He anxiously scanned the crowd of people searching for a familiar face. Then he spotted her leaning against the far wall in a chair, another woman sitting beside her. Ava noticed and gave him a little shove, "Go talk to her while I find out what's going on." It took several minutes to wind his way through the maze of desks and chairs until he was in front of her. She was staring blankly at the scuffed floor tiles and absentmindedly winding a lock of hair around her fingers. Bradin pulled up a chair and sat next to her. Jude slowly looked up as if coming out of a dream.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her face filled with amazement and a little uncertainty.

"They called the house. We came down here as soon as we heard," he said.

"I didn't know if you would come," she admitted.

"Why wouldn't we?"

"I don't know," Jude said, "but I'm glad you did."

"It's going to be okay. My aunt's trying to get everything worked out," Bradin told her. "How are you doing?"

"I don't know," she said, "I'll let you know."

"What happened? When did he die?" he asked.

"They found him three days ago outside of a town about three hundred miles way. Apparently, he'd been dead for about a day, which means he died the day he left. The police say it was a car accident. His car had completely burned up. They had to use his dental records to identify him," she said. "That's why it took so long to hunt me down. Dental records? How bad of an accident does it take for that to happen?"

"I'm so sorry," Bradin said, feeling his words were completely inadequate. What else could he say?

"I don't know what to feel. I mean, Brian's been the worst part of my life for so long, I don't know what to do without him. I've spent the greater part of the last two years hating him so much. Now that he's gone, it's different." Jude looked at him. "I thought I would be happy when he died. Isn't that what happens in the books and movies? The villain dies, and the hero is left in a state of bliss? If that's the case, then why do I feel like everything just got turned upside down? Why do I wish it wasn't true?"

"After all that he's done to you, I'll be honest, I'm glad he's gone." Bradin said. "But I think it's a natural thing to miss someone, even if they're horrible. I can't say I feel the same as you do."

"Well said," she gave him a lopsided smile. "It's just that he's been there. He's the one constant in my life, an awful one, but still he's always there. Now, what do I have left? He was the only family I had."

"I don't know, Jude," He tried to remain positive. "Maybe you can stay with us." She looked away, nervously gnawing on her lower lip.

"The lady sitting next to me is from social services. I overheard her talking to the officer a little while ago. They're thinking about sending me into foster care. They might send me away," she said in a low voice, so the woman wouldn't hear.

"Maybe they won't," he said.

"Where else am I going to go? I don't turn 18 until next year. I'm considered too young to live on my own. And I…" she stopped abruptly, her voice containing a hint of panic.

"Don't worry, it's going to work out," he tried to reassure her.

"I think it's past that point now."

"Well, if it ends up differently, we'll figure out what to do then," Bradin said. "Besides, you can't run off again."

"Why not?"

"I won't you," he answered. Her face took on a strange expression.

"But, what about your conversation earlier today?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, just as Ava materialized out of the crowd before them. "We'll discuss this later," he whispered in her ear before speaking up. "What did you find out, Aunt Ava?"

"I've talked to quite a few people here, and it looks like you're going to be staying with us for a little while longer," Ava said to Jude, whose jaw fell open.

"What? Are you serious? I don't know how to thank you," Jude stuttered in her surprise.

"I believe you just did," Ava told her. "Now why don't we get your things and go home? I think I've had a enough of the police station for one day. Home sounds good to me."

* * *

The sun was gradually sinking beneath the horizon as Bradin and Jude walked along the shoreline. They were a fair distance away from the house when they stopped to admire the moonlight dancing across the water. "So, what are you going to do now?" Bradin asked.

"I have to help make arrangements, go through all the junk in the house. That's going to take awhile. Brian never could throw anything out," Jude answered. "The house is paid for, which is a good thing. I just don't want to know how he pulled that off. Probably something extra illegal."

"Think you'll stick around for awhile?" Bradin said, looking at her. She felt a pang of sadness.

"I don't know. Maybe," she said, her voice becoming detached, almost cold. She wondered if her voice sounded as confused as she felt. He also seemed to be a little puzzled by her sudden mood change.

"I'm sorry about earlier today," he apologized, referring to his leaving her at the house.

"So am I," she said. "But life happens."

"I need to work on this perfect day stuff. It didn't go exactly as I was hoping for," Bradin said, shrugging slightly.

"My day was about as close to perfect as it could have gotten. Except for this afternoon." Jude smiled at him. "I wouldn't have had it any other way."

"Earlier, you said you had something to tell me." Bradin said, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He could barely hear her answer.

"I was going to tell you everything."

"About?"

"Everything. Even though it probably wouldn't have been a good idea. I guess it doesn't matter now that he's gone." Jude said.

"He can't do anything to you now."

"No, he can't," she said. "I still can't believe that it's over. Maybe I can have a normal life now."

"Don't say anything if you don't feel comfortable."

"I want to. I should have said something a long time ago," Jude said, crossing her arms in front of her. "Where do I begin?" she muttered, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Before the car accident, things got really bad. I didn't know how bad, though. Mom never said a word. Then, a few days after the funeral, I was cleaning out my mom's closet. I found an envelope sitting on a cardboard box. My mom left a letter. She wrote that she was planning to take us kids and run away, but if things didn't work out, then she would have to take things into her own hands. But even that didn't end right."

"You're supposed to be here, there's a reason for everything," Bradin tried to assure her. "How did you end up here?"

"Brian started drinking even more after the accident. He found out that Mom left everything to us kids, which meant I got it. All the money is in a trust fund until I'm 18. If something happens to me, then the money goes to charity. He wasn't too happy to find out about that, since he had to keep me around for a few more years. We moved to a small town along the coast a month later." Jude paused. "I became friends with Trevor there."

"How did you two meet?" Bradin asked.

"That's kind of a funny story. The first day in town, I went for a run along a trail behind my house. Well, there was a bend in the path, and as I ran around it, I tripped and fell into someone. After lying on the ground and staring at the sky for a few minutes, we looked at each other and started laughing. That's how I met Trevor Samuels. He was the only child of a woman who liked to hang out with Brian. They basically spent more time drunk than sober."

"Why didn't you get help from anyone?"

"Brian and I didn't exactly go into town very often. No one really cared about the two kids of the local drunks. According to people in town, we were destined to end up just like them. Trevor and I took care of ourselves instead of asking for anything from anyone. We were inseparable for the months that I lived there."

"What was Trevor like?" he asked.

"Oh, he was a few inches taller than me. Thin and with curlyish brown hair and gray eyes. He was fairly serious, but did have a good sense of humor. He liked reading and writing poetry. Not your typical guy. Sometimes, he could be arrogant because he was so smart, but I started to like him anyways. He was two years older than me and wanted to go to college the next year to be an English teacher. But he never got that far." Her words were quiet and held a sense of foreboding.

"What happened to him?" Bradin knew this question could set off a myriad of reactions, but chose to ask.

"His mom, Lisa, and Brian started dating, which meant they drank even more, if that's possible. Trevor and I planned to run away, making arrangements to head to Canada. Then, they couldn't do anything to us there. His mom got sick because her liver was damaged from all the alcohol, and he decided not to go with me so he could take care of her. On that night, we met out on the path that followed a river between our houses. I was supposed to be in my room, but I snuck out. Trevor was going to help me leave the next night, and we were making final plans. Brian must have found out I wasn't there, and he came after us. We hid behind the bushes as he was staggering around dead drunk. Trevor went out there to try to talk to him and give me enough time to get back to my room. What we didn't know was that he had a gun. They started talking, which escalated to yelling at each other, and then the gun went off. I ran out there, but it had already happened. Brian shot and killed him. And I couldn't do a thing." She was crying again, hot, bitter tears. "He told me that it was my fault, and if I ever told anyone, he would kill me. I believed him too. Brian made me go to the house while he got rid of any evidence. I never saw Trevor again. His mom died soon after, and no one seemed to remember him, except for me. I dream about him all the time. That scene plays over and over again in my head. When you and I fell off the pier, I thought of him. That's why I yelled for him."

"I'm so sorry, Jude." Bradin hugged her tightly. She didn't try to pull away. "I'm glad you told me."

"I thought that he might come after you or your family, and I didn't want that to happen. Now that he's finally dead, I can make things right."

"Don't take this wrong, but I'm glad your stepdad is gone," Bradin said.

"I'm not as much happy as I am relieved," she admitted. "It's like a nightmare that's finally ended." She hesitated for a moment. They began walking again, but stopped in front of a log.

"Was there something else you wanted to tell me?" he asked, turning to look at her. She thought for a moment, remembering the situation in the afternoon, then shook her head.

"No, that was all," she said, while mentally berating herself for missing another chance.

"Do you miss him a lot?"

"All the time. He was…my best friend. I learned so much from him about myself. But, as time has passed, it doesn't hurt so much anymore. Recently, I thought I might be forgetting him and that scared me. But I can't hold onto hold onto him forever, and I think he understands." Jude said quietly, pointedly looking away from him.

"Jude, you are unlike anyone I've ever met," Bradin said. She shot a look of disbelief at him. "I know that I royally messed up this afternoon, but I was hoping that you would give me a second chance."

"A second chance?" she repeated. "For what?"

"For everything," he said, suddenly remembering something and reached into his pocket. "Here, I almost forgot. This is for you." She looked puzzled as she opened up the little box and pulled out a gold locket on a thin chain. Opening the clasp in the dim light, she gasped when she saw that the pictures inside were of her mother and brother.

"Where did you? How did you get these?"

"I borrowed those pictures of yours once when you were gone. Don't worry, I returned them without a scratch," he said. "Do you like it?"

"Bradin, I don't know what to say, it's absolutely beautiful." Jude said, her emotions rushing around inside of her. "Thank you."

"You said that the day would be perfect if your family was here, and that was the best I could do," he smiled at her.

"Will you help me put it on?" she asked, turning to let him fasten it. He fumbled for a minute, but managed to fasten the clasp, before gently spinning her around to face him. "This really has been the best day of my life, Bradin," she said, her voice full of contentment.

"I thought about your smile all day, did you know that?" he said suddenly. She stared at him in complete shock.

"What did you say?"

"It's true, you know," he said, watching her struggle to keep her feelings in check. "I just wanted you to know that." She was speechless. What was he trying to do to her?

"Thank you," she said in a small voice, afraid to say more to keep her true feelings from bursting out. She slowly slid down to where she was sitting in the sand, with her back up against the log.

"The first time I met you, I didn't know exactly what to think of you. But now I do." He reached out and turned her face towards his, forcing her to look at him. "I know you said that no one ever sees you for who you are, and I wanted to tell you that I didn't at first, but I see you now. And you're beautiful inside and out."

"I thought there was someone else. That's why I didn't say anything," she confessed.

"I did too, but there's no one else. You're the only one," he told her. Jude opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She felt as though her heart was going to pound out of her chest. Bradin lowered his head and gently kissed her. Time seemed to stop at that moment, and she closed her eyes. He pulled away, and she finally spoke.

"You're sure?" she asked uncertainly, trying not to cry, but failing miserably.

"Being around you, it's like finally coming home. I haven't felt like that in a long time," he said, his face held an almost-shy expression. "Will you please not go? For me?" She hesitated for a long moment, before nodding silently. He cupped her tearstained cheek in one hand and lightly traced her face before kissing her again. She wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him in return. For a second, she debated about telling him about the first time she'd seen him, but stubbornly ignored the thought. She could tell him later. Right then, there was nothing that needed to be said.

**Okay, that's all for now. I probably won't get to update until my finals are over in a week and a half. Thank you for being so patient with me! I hope you enjoyed this part.**


	11. You and I Both

**Okay, so this chapter is long overdue, but it's finished! I'd like to thank my reviewers for your support.**

**ShiaLover09: Your reviews are always great! I always anticipate whatever you say. Thank you for all your kind words. Not so much sap this time around, but wait and see….**

**angelprincess18: I hope I didn't make you too sad. This next chapter has plenty of dialogue for you! Thanks for reviewing!**

**JustTheGirl07: Your review gave me plenty of ideas, so I want to thank you for that! Hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

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Before they knew it, the sun had begun to climb over the horizon. "Did we really just stay up the whole night?" Jude mumbled, half-awake. She turned onto her side to face Bradin.

"Since the sun happens to be rising, I think you're right," he said, watching her face change to a panicked look that he found most adorable.

"Oh no," she groaned, jumping to her feet. "Your aunt is going to be worried sick! She's going to kill both of us for sure."

"Don't worry, I'm sure they never missed us," Bradin told her. She shot him a look of disbelief.

"You think this is funny? Just wait until your aunt gets a hold of you."

"Okay, maybe they might get a little worried," he said. "We'd better get back before they call the police or something."

"Wait." Jude's voice caused him to still. "Maybe we should be a little more careful about this."

"You mean about us," Bradin said, surprisingly calm. His eyes met her serious gaze, giving her his complete attention.

"Yeah. I mean, it might seem a little too convenient to everyone if we come out with this now. I do like you a lot, but right now things are kind of shaky, and I have some things I need to take care of," she said, her eyes willing him to understand.

"I don't quite get what you mean, but if it would make you feel better, then we'll keep quiet about this," he told her. "You know, he's gone for good. He's not coming back."

"I know," Jude said, "I'm still getting used to that fact. Just a little paranoid. I want you and your family to be safe." Her shaky laugh did nothing to disguise her fear. Bradin said nothing, but draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close for a second, letting her know that he understood.

As they walked through the front door, Bradin and Jude were greeted by an empty, silent house. They stepped out on the back patio to find the entire household eating breakfast. "Where have you been?" Ava asked, her eyes widening and taking in their tired faces and disheveled appearance. "You didn't come home last night."

"We were talking out on the beach, and the whole night kind of slipped away," Bradin said, taking in their surprised glances with ease.

"Are you sure that was all you were doing?" Jay spoke up, his comment full of sarcasm. Jude felt her face heat.

"Yes," Bradin said firmly. "And that's all I'm going to say about that." He could tell that Jay wanted to say more, but wisely chose to drop the subject.

"Well, come sit down, we saved you some food," Johnny said. "Had to beat Jay off with a stick, but there's some left." They pulled over two more chairs and sat down.

"Does this mean you're going to be staying with us for awhile, Jude?" Derrick asked matter-of-factly. She was at a loss for words for a moment. Derrick waited expectantly for her answer.

"Yes, until I get things sorted out, or unless I get kicked out. Whichever comes first," she said.

"Oh, it's perfectly fine with us," Johnny said. "You can stay here as long as you need."

"Yes, we always have enough room for one more," Ava told her.

"Can never have too many people," Susannah said.

"The more the merrier," Jay chimed in.

"I think we get the picture," Nikki said, pointedly looking at Jay. "But I'm glad you're going to be around for awhile. Being around these guys all the time can get a little tiring."

"Thank you, all of you. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. It means a lot to me," she said, feeling slightly overwhelmed by their words. She swallowed a hard lump in her throat. Bradin noticed her discomfort and swiftly changed the subject.

"So, anyone have big plans for today?"

"Well, I need to get down to the restaurant soon. We're planning some additions to the menu." Johnny announced, rising from the table. "I'll see all of you later."

"I should go open the shop," Jay said, following his lead.

"Cameron and I are going to hang out this morning before he works." Nikki said, "But first, I'm taking Derrick to the skate park. We should get going," she told Derrick, who finished cramming the last of his breakfast in his mouth before they left.

"Susannah and I have a big meeting with a buyer from New York today." Ava said, "which is in 45 minutes!" she cried, jumping up from the table along with Susannah. Ava stared at the full table with dismay.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of this," Jude offered. Ava immediately relaxed.

"Thank you so much!" she told them before rushing into the house.

"We will?" Bradin asked.

"Yep, washing dishes is a cathartic experience," she told him, "Or so I've been told." She gathered up the plates and stacked them. They carried the food in first, putting the leftovers in the fridge. The dishes came next, and after a single mishap with the soap, they were soon finished. "See, that wasn't so bad." Jude teased him, her hands still covered in soapy water. "At least I only spilled the soap on your arm, instead of your head or something." Bradin flicked a little water at her, and in retaliation, she wiped her hands across his face. He sputtered for a second, as the bubbles began to foam.

"Okay, you win," he said, burying his face in a towel. "So, what do you need to do first?"

"Your aunt offered to help me with the cemetery arrangements tomorrow, so that's out of the way. I guess I need to go back to my house and start cleaning up," she said.

"Mind if I tag along?" Or is there anything that you need to do alone?" he asked.

"No, you can come, but if you start laughing at my childhood pictures, I'm kicking you out," she tried to sound threatening, but failed.

Her house looked even more dilapidated than before, as Bradin and Jude carefully navigated the rickety steps. She pulled a hidden key from under a cinder block that lay on the porch and unlocked the door. The escaping air was stale and musty. Jude crinkled up her nose at the sight of the small living room. Bottles and pieces of trash littered the carpet that was packed with dirt. "Home sweet home," she muttered, setting down her armful of cleaning supplies.

"It doesn't look too bad," Bradin said, managing to be tactful. "From the outside, at least," he added. "What are you going to do with this place?"

"Not sure, I think it could be sold after a major cleaning, but for right now, I'm going to keep it. At least until I can move all of my things out."

"I'm all for selling it," he said. "Then you don't have anything to remind you of him."

"Brian must have torn the place up looking for me," she said, surveying the broken coffee table and upended chairs. Jude walked into the kitchen and immediately began throwing rotten food and dishes into a black plastic bag. The smell was enough to make her gag. "Maybe we should let that air out first," she said, opening the kitchen window before backing out. Bradin opened a door at the back of the living room; the door creaked as he looked in. It was definitely Jude's room, and the cleanest one so far. The only signs of life were a small bed, dresser, and desk. He walked over to the dresser and picked up the photograph frame lying there. It was a picture of a very young Jude sitting with her mother on a horse, which caused him to think of a certain time when he had gone riding with his own mother when he was young and back in Kansas. They had gotten caught in the rain and had to walk the entire two miles back to the farm because the horse kept slipping in the mud. The memory of his mom holding his hand and trying to coax the horse to follow was still fresh in his mind as if it had happened that morning. Jude entered the room at that moment and noted his far-away expression. She saw the picture in his hand and instantly knew what was going on. "Are you okay?" she asked gently.

"Yeah," Bradin shrugged away the thought. "I was just thinking." He set the picture down.

"It's okay to remember," she said quietly, all the thoughts of cleaning leaving her mind. "The pain isn't a one-time deal. It can take years before it doesn't hurt as much," she said, having correctly interpreted his look.

"I keep thinking," he admitted, "that it goes away soon, but it doesn't. I've tried so many things to forget, but nothing works."

"I've heard about some of what you've done," Jude said dryly, then changed her tone. "None of those things will ever change the past, but I think you've figured that out. You don't have to go through this by yourself. Your aunt and brother and sister all care about you. Talking to them about this won't make them think any less of you. In fact, they'll probably respect you even more. And I'm always here to talk."

"Thanks Jude," Bradin said, sighing heavily. "I needed that." His countenance already seemed lighter. "Now, you're the one giving me the advice." He leaned over and kissed her. She broke away long before he was ready, but he wasn't surprised, due to their earlier conversation.

"Yep, you can always count on me for a pep talk," she said sarcastically. "Anytime…." He shook his head at her words.

"It's just like you to kill an emotional moment," he teased.

"Somehow, you and emotional don't fit in the same sentence."

"Probably not, but I can always try," he said, laughing. "We should probably start getting to work. My aunt's going to wonder why we were here so long and didn't get anything finished." They went back into the living room and began to sort the trash from anything valuable. The kitchen was now bearable, so Jude started throwing away more garbage and food from the fridge.

"It's a good thing we don't own that many things!" she called to Bradin, who was picking his way through the piles of bottles.

"Are you sure about that? I think you've got a great collection of beer bottles starting here," he yelled back.

"Just throw then away, I don't want them."

"As you wish," he answered, carefully placing them into a box for recycling.

"This is absolutely ridiculous. I was gone from here for two days and this is what he did," Jude huffed, studying the cabinet full of expired canned goods. "What am I going to do with a lifetime supply of pork and beans and chili?" Bradin came in to look.

"What's that?" he pointed at an envelope halfway hidden behind a can of tuna. He tugged at it, and it broke free spilling its contents onto the floor. They both gasped as a handful of dollar bills spread across the tile.

"What in the world?" Jude counted the money, which came to twenty dollars. "I guess this is where his stash was."

"Is there more?" Bradin dug through the back of the cabinet, coming out with several more envelopes. He counted the money "There's more than a hundred dollars in here! Guess it's yours now." He handed her the stack of bills.

"What do I do with this?" she felt stunned at their discovery. "I think for now, I'll keep it here, until I can think of what to do with it." She stuffed the money in the back of a drawer. "It might not be mine either. Brian wasn't exactly honest in his dealings. After I go through his things, I'll decide what to do."

"I don't think he told you the truth about anything he did," Bradin said. "That idiot. If he was here—."

"He's gone now, and that's all I care about. It's nothing to be angry about anymore," she interrupted his rant, pulling open another door. The cupboard was stuffed full of macaroni and cheese boxes. "I can't believe this!" she almost howled in frustration. Bradin looked at her annoyed face, and tried to hide his laughter. She scowled at him. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"You're kind of cute when you're mad," he said, smiling at her. "It's just food. We can donate it or something. I believe you just told me a few seconds ago not to get angry?" Her anger dissolved, as she saw his point.

"You're right," she said. "I hope your family likes macaroni and cheese."

"It'll go great with this next cupboard full of Top Ramen," Bradin teased, laughing as he ducked out of the kitchen to avoid the box she tossed in his direction. He went back to work on the living room, just as the doorbell rang. Peering out the window, his heart sank, when he saw who it was. "Jude, you'd better come out here. I think it's for you."

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**Hopefully, this chapter kept you entertained, and there will be another one up soon! Thanks for reading!**


	12. Look After You

**Yes, I updated. Don't fall out of your chairs yet! I had some extra time, so I decided to update. I didn't want you guys to have to wait to see who was behind that door….**

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Bradin felt his heart skip a beat as he recognized the woman standing on the other side of the door. "What are you talking about? No one knows we're here," Jude laughed as she walked around the corner, but stopped when she saw the serious look on his face. She suddenly felt nervous. "Who is it?" He gave a small shake of his head, and stepped aside to let her answer the door. She opened the door and found herself face to face with the social worker from the police station. "Hello," Jude said as politely as she could manage without gritting her teeth.

"Good afternoon," the woman said in a falsely cheerful voice. "I was told that I could find you here. I don't think we were properly introduced yesterday. My name is Sylvia Jamison. I work with Child Protective Services here in Playa Linda."

"Yes," Jude said, "I remember you. Is there something you needed to talk to me about?" She had the suspicious feeling that the woman wasn't nearly as pleasant as she appeared.

"Actually, yes. I do need to talk to you, but privacy would be appreciated." Ms. Jamison looked specifically at Bradin, who met her gaze without flinching.

"We'll be just a minute," Jude said to Bradin, giving him a look of annoyance mixed with fear. She stepped outside and firmly shut the door behind here, effectively cutting off their conversation. Bradin sighed and desperately wished he could hear their conversation. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good, not if she had come here looking for Jude.

"How have you been since we last talked?" Ms. Jamison asked, whipping out some legal form and a pen from the case that she carried.

"Well, since it was only yesterday, I don't think much has changed," Jude said languidly. She was beginning to understand where the conversation was headed, which only added to her irritation.

"Good, good," the woman murmured absentmindedly, scribbling away on the document in her hand. "And you've been staying somewhere else, not here. Am I correct?" She cast a disdainful glance around the dismal premises.

"Yes, I'm staying with Ava Gregory," Jude answered. This caught the other woman's attention immediately. She began to rummage through her case, grabbing another file out and began perusing it.

"Oh, I see. Ms. Gregory also has custody of her niece and nephews. They live with her."

"Yes, and they've been kind enough to let me stay with them." Jude now had a complete grasp of the situation and wasn't the least bit surprised. The woman's condescending tone was enough to cause her already-thin patience to wear. She crossed her arms tightly to keep from clenching her fists and stood rigidly against the doorframe.

"There are seven people living there already," Ms. Jamison stated, almost to herself, but just loud enough for Jude to hear. "The family itself seems to be on shaky ground. The kids have been into trouble before, especially the oldest one. There are four adults in the household. All younger adults too. Not the ideal situation. Hmmm, this doesn't appear to be a good idea." She made some more notes on the second file before storing it away. Finally, she turned her attention back to Jude, who had been intently listening to her words. "My dear, it seems there somewhat of a mix up yesterday at the station."

"Really? I didn't think there was," Jude said, her calm countenance beginning to splinter.

"Yes, I believe that you were placed with the wrong family."

"Why do you say that?" she asked, licking her lips nervously.

"There are so many things I could say, but I don't feel that it is necessary to explain to you," Ms. Jamison answered, her tone becoming even more patronizing.

"Please explain," Jude said coolly.

"Well first, the family you're staying with has gone through many changes lately, none of which have been handled very smoothly. We just don't know if this would be a suitable placement for you," the social worker explained, her voice softening slightly. "Since they are not actual foster parents in the system, it would be very unorthodox to place you with them. I have no idea why you were sent home with people who have not been given proper authorization."

"I like where I am. If things are working out, then why do you think I need to leave?" Jude wasn't about to let the woman railroad her into giving in.

"With all the situations that have taken place in that household, we feel that a different home would be more appropriate for you."

"Is it because there are four adults raising three kids? Or that one of them happens to be a teenage boy? Heaven forbid that ever happen," she said, sarcasm pouring out of her. Jude knew she was being unfair, but was completely exasperated.

"Since you brought that up, is there anything going on between you two?" Ms. Jamison arched one brow and looked intently at Jude. "I see you are here together and alone."

"We're friends, and he's helping me clean this messy house. No one should have to go through so much trash alone," she answered in a light tone, thankful that she had talked to Bradin earlier. Now, she attempted to atone for her earlier rudeness. "Listen, Ms. Jamison, I'm really happy where I am right now. Nothing bad has happened, we all get along fairly well, and I'm trying to get adjusted to normal life again. I'm sorry for being rude earlier, it's just that you caught me off guard."

"I understand, dear, that you have gone through some very hard circumstances lately. We aren't trying to separate you from your friends, or make your life any harder than it already is. All we want is for you to be safe and have a comfortable life, while you are in our legal care. We're trying to discern whether you are being treated properly where you're living." The woman set her case down, and looked directly into Jude's eyes. "Since you are almost of legal age, I'm going to be very honest with you. We have looked into your background, what little we know of it, and aren't sure what to do with what we've found. Also, no one has been able to contact any family of yours. You kind of appeared out of nowhere."

"My extended family has been out of the picture for years. And as for suddenly appearing, I'm one of those kids who fell through the cracks." Jude said.

"In the proverbial sense, yes, you are. The reason why we are taking such precautions with your case is because of that. Placing you in a foster home would allow us to monitor your progress better and to provide any sort of support that you might need, including access to medical care, or psychiatric facilities."

"I may be a little weird, but I don't need to see a psychiatrist. I appreciate what you're saying, but I think I'll be fine," she told the woman.

"Ah, but you see, that is not for you to decide. Since you are still a minor, the state has full authority over your case. You will do whatever we decide will be best," Ms. Jamison said. Jude felt a twinge of fear. The woman made some more notes on her file. Jude's file. She sighed heavily and seemed to be debating something inwardly. Jude held her breath, fervently trying to gage her expression. Ms. Jamison finally spoke. "However, since you wish to remain where you are, and Ms. Gregory has given consent, we are allowing you to stay, provided that a case worker will be making periodic visits. In the case that anything suspicious or potentially unsafe is discovered, you will be removed and placed in a foster home. In the meantime, we will continue trying to contact any relative you may have that could take you in." Jude relaxed at her words.

"Thank you for letting me stay, Ms. Jamison," she said, actually meaning it.

"We've debated for a long time about it. I was all for taking you with me when I arrived, but since talking to you, I think it would be best for you to stay for now. At least until things get settled down. Nevertheless, if you ever need anything or feel threatened in any way, feel free to call me at this number, and I'll be over to pick you up." Ms. Jamison handed her a small white business card with her name, address, and phone number neatly printed on it in black letters. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment I need to be at. Thank you for your time." The woman was gone as quickly as she had arrived. Jude was almost in a daze as she turned to go back into the house. Bradin almost ripped the door off its hinges in his haste.

"Well, what did she say?" he waited expectantly, the questions threatening to burst out of him.

"She said…I could stay," Jude said, stunned. "I thought for sure that she would be loading me into the back of her car, but she changed her mind." She tucked the card into her pocket. Not that she would ever need it, but just in case.

"Just like that?" Bradin said in amazement. "You must have said something she wanted to hear."

"Well, if they find any of my family who wants to be my guardian, then I'll have to go, but I doubt they ever will. My family doesn't exactly want to be found."

"You know, after my parents…died, everyone thought that us kids would go live with my uncle and aunt in Kansas, but my parents chose for us to live with Aunt Ava. At first, that seemed like a strange decision, but it's worked out so far." Bradin said, thoughtfully. "If they are able to contact your family, maybe they'll want to take care of you, and you'd end up with a crazy family like I have. But then you would have to go."

"I don't want that to happen," Jude confessed. "Not now."

"Why not?"

"Because this is home. For once, I actually feel like I belong somewhere. And, I'd miss you guys if I had to leave."

"Just yesterday, you were ready to drop everything to leave, and now you want to stay? You are a mystery to me," Bradin said, shaking his head and pretending to be confused.

"Maybe there was something that convinced me to change my mind," she threw him a timid smile.

"Just one thing?" he asked.

"Hey now, don't push your luck," she laughed, finally feeling the tension leave her. "I just want to try sticking around in one place for a change. To see how it feels."

"Well, I for one am glad that you'll be here." He laughed softly at some thought. She shot him a look.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking about how we first met, how I was so annoyed with this strange kid who would barely talk to me and was ready to jump off those rocks if I even took one step closer." His eyes clouded as he remembered the reason he'd been sitting there.

"Yeah," Jude mumbled to herself, thinking of the actual first time she'd seen him. The thought of telling him tugged at her conscience, but she stubbornly pushed the idea away. It wasn't important, anyways. She could always tell him later, or maybe never. "We've both changed a lot. Somehow, we even managed to be friends."

"That'll never change, you know that?" he said, pulling her into a hug.

"What?" She felt a little edgy for no apparent reason, but his comment caused her to draw back from him.

"No matter what happens, we'll always be friends."

"Don't get all sentimental on me now," she teased, effectively breaking the serious mood. "If Ms. Jamison saw us, she'd hit you with that case of hers." Jude had no explanation for her sudden nervousness, but she managed to cover it up, and Bradin didn't notice her discomfort. "We'd better get back to work." She didn't actually answer his question. His words echoed Stephen's just enough to make her to feel paranoid. "You're being silly," she told herself, as they went back inside. "Nothing's going to happen." But the feeling still stayed with her, and she couldn't figure out what it meant.

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**No cliffhanger this time! You can stop throwing tomatoes and such at me! But seriously, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll try to update again by the weekend. School starts on Monday, so we'll see what happens with that thrown in the equation. Thanks for reading! Oh yeah, the chapter title comes from the song Look After You by The Fray, if you wanted to know.**


	13. Now Or Never

**Another part done! I know I said I'd update sooner, but school kind of comes first.**

**ShiaLover09: Thanks for always reviewing so quickly! I always look forward to reading yours because they always make me laugh. **

**angel-prncess-18: Sorry I couldn't make it two in a row, but it's better than a month, right? Hopefully, this chapter has enough drama in it for you.**

**6Ellie6: I'm glad you like it so far! I hope you like this chapter too!**

**Well, I haven't had a disclaimer for awhile, which means I own the show now…okay, that's a joke. All I own are my own characters, real or imaginary. But mostly imaginary.**

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It wasn't that she was being paranoid, but something didn't feel quite right. Jude walked through the next few days in a strange mood. She was having the nightmares again, the ones that plagued her sleep, and kept her awake most of the night. It seemed like every night she was waking up from another dream. The rest of the night would be spent in a fitful sleep. There was no way that she was going to tell Bradin about what she was experiencing. He had enough troubles of his own than to worry about something so trivial. If she told him, then she would feel obligated to tell him about the first time she'd seen him. That was the last thing she wanted to bring up in conversation.

The business card from Ms. Jamison was still carried around in her pocket, and several times during the day, Jude would take the card out and look at it. For a moment, she would consider calling the number, but would always set her mind against it. There was nothing to worry about. She was just being ridiculous.

They had been cleaning her former house every afternoon, with the exception of the few hours Jude had spent working out the burial arrangements with Ava's help. There was no service, which is what Jude had decided on. She didn't want to think about Brian any more than she already did.

"Are you okay?" Bradin asked as he prepared to leave the house. Jude shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"Nope, just tired, I guess. Moving all those boxes of macaroni and cheese was a little much for me," she said, half-joking.

"You're sure?" he looked at her. She had seemed a little different since that social worker had come banging on the door. Jude was about to answer, but Ava walked into the room.

"Hey you two, any big plans today?" She went into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.

"I've got to get to work," Bradin said. "Other than that, nothing."

"I'm sick of canned beans," Jude muttered. "I think I might skip out on the house for a day." She yawned widely.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Ava said, setting her glass in the sink. "It's been fairly busy lately and summer's almost over. Enjoy it while you can. I'll see you later, I've got some errands to run before going to the office." With that parting comment, she left the house. Bradin headed up to his room to change his shirt for work. Jude lay down on the couch and closed her eyes. Bradin came over and leaned on the back of the couch.

"I'll be back in a few hours," he told her. "See you when I get back?"

"Yeah, I'll be around here somewhere."

"Not going to lie, it's kind of hard keeping up this "just friends" act," Bradin said.

"Are you regretting this?" she asked uncertainly.

"No, nothing like that," he hastily said. "I'll just be really glad when we don't have to hide anything." His face was inches above hers when he caught a glimpse of Nikki coming down the stairs, so he hurriedly straightened up. "Anyways, I'll see you later." He winked at her and was gone.

"And when are you going stop being so silly and tell him the truth?" Jude said aloud, not realizing that Nikki was in the kitchen. She heard Jude's voice and chose to keep silent. Jude continued talking to herself. "But no, you're just too scared."

"Jude?" Nikki's voice caught her attention. She was caught off guard and tumbled off the couch. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Nikki cried, running over to help her up. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Well, you did," Jude said, rubbing her numb elbow that had connected with the edge of the coffee table. "But it's okay. I'm fine. Nothing hurt, just my pride. I usually don't scare that easily." She smiled sheepishly at Nikki, who perched herself on the arm of the couch.

"Are you all right?" Nikki asked.

"You sound remarkably like your older brother," Jude said, not unkindly. "I'm fine. Thank you for asking."

"You sure? That's not the way I heard it just a few seconds ago," Nikki coaxed. She smiled encouragingly at Jude. "You sounded like something was wrong."

"I don't think that it would be best to tell you. You're his sister. If he ever finds out, then I don't want to see him," Jude said.

"Just because we're family doesn't mean I tell Bradin everything. Far from it," Nikki told her. "I think there are some things he doesn't need to know."

"This would be one of those things," said Jude. She studied Nikki for a minute. Should she trust this girl she barely knew? Nikki seemed to read her mind.

"I won't tell him. I promise. Maybe I can help somehow."

"I've heard about your help," Jude smiled. "Something about locking Ava and Johnny in the garage?"

"Oh," Nikki blushed. "Okay, not all of my attempts have been successful. But in my defense, they got together in the end." Nikki was so eager, Jude couldn't deny her. She gave in, ignoring the warning bells going off in her head.

"Okay, I'll tell you."

"Oh good!" Nikki squealed. "I won't tell." She made a zipping motion across her lips and then tossed the imaginary key.

"This isn't something silly, Nik," Jude said. "If this gets out, I don't know what would happen. It's probably a good thing that I'm telling you, just in case."

"I won't tell." Nikki said, this time her voice completely serious.

"Well, a few weeks ago, I left the house in the middle of the night, fully intending to run away. The only problem is that I happened to be running along the beach that night." Jude looked at Nikki. "Do you understand?"

"Not really…" she admitted.

"There was a bad storm that night," Jude continued. "I wasn't the only one out in it."

"Wait," Nikki said, all the pieces were beginning to come together. "You're talking about the night that Bradin had his accident. You…weren't out there, were you?"

"It was raining, and the waves were fairly high. I was coming around by some rocky cliffs that went out into the water," she paused "I heard someone."

"It was you?" Nikki said incredulously. "You saved him?"

"I didn't know him at the time. All I knew was that someone needed help."

"Jay said that even the strongest swimmer would have had trouble with the waves and the tide. How did you do it?"

"Jay didn't account for someone who's desperate." Jude said. "I don't really know how I made that swim. Water scares me to death. Usually I freeze up, but I didn't and I haven't since then."

"Why don't you tell him?"

"If I told him that, then why would he believe me about anything else I've said? He trusts me, Nikki, and I trust him. I don't want to lose that."

"I don't think he'd be angry. He's been wondering who saved him for the longest time. I think he would be happy to know," Nikki told her.

"It's not just that. I've wanted to say something for awhile now, but the timing's always wrong. I think if I told him, he would just worry more."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll only tell you some of the story because that's all you should know, okay?"

"Sure," Nikki waited impatiently.

"I'm sure you're heard some about my family?" Jude asked. Nikki nodded. ", my stepfather wanted to talk to me. He said it was important. That's when he told me. Apparently, my mom had set a clause in her will. There was actually another amount of money that isn't in trust fund. Of course, Brian thought I knew where the money was. He started throwing things around and throwing out all sorts of accusations."

"Do you know?"

"At first, I didn't know what he was talking about. Then I remembered something my mom had given me. It was this picture frame that I had on my dresser. After Brian was asleep, I pried the back off. In between the picture and back, my mom had placed a necklace. One of the links was made from the safety deposit key, and the number is inscribed on it."

"What's this got to do with you saving Bradin's life?" Nikki asked.

"I had the necklace with me then, but I don't have it now."

"You lost it?"

"Not exactly…" Jude began to talk faster. "You see, I left it with someone. Someone who could keep it for me without knowing and then I'd come back for it someday."

"Okay, now I'm confused," Nikki said.

"Bradin has it," Jude blurted out.

"What?" Nikki exclaimed. "How does that work?"

"You know that necklace he always wears? That night on the beach, I switched them," Jude admitted.

"You did what?" Nikki's voice could have easily split Jude's eardrums.

"They looked really similar, so I switched them. I didn't know that I was going to run into him the next day. Or that he was going to be a part of my life for longer than just a few hours. Please don't tell him. He knows too much about me already."

"I promised you I wouldn't, and so I won't."

"Will you do one more thing for me?" Jude asked.

"Sure." Nikki said curiously.

"If anything happens, like if I leave or something, get the necklace. Give it to your aunt, and she can get the money from the account. If I'm gone, then I want you and your brothers to have the money."

"Uh, no, we couldn't do that."

"Why not? According to my mom's will, it's mine to do with as I like, and who knows, maybe there's nothing in there," Jude said. "Besides, maybe it's my baby pictures or my brother's first hair cut. I have no idea what it is. If it turns out to be something like that, you don't have to keep it. But for now, promise me that you'll take it." Nikki hesitated for a moment.

"I promise. But I don't think anything's going to happen," she finally replied.

"You'd be surprised," Jude said darkly, then lightened her voice. _No need to open that can of worms_ she thought_. _"Now do you understand why I didn't tell him? I don't want him to be worried about the necklace and by not telling him, he doesn't worry."

"You don't want him to worry, because then you'll be anxious. And you worry because you like him." Nikki asked.

"You can tell?" Jude winced. _So much for keeping it a secret._

"I knew you guys were trying to hide it. Also, he's my brother and I can tell when he's hiding something. Plus, girls always seem to like my brother. It's something to do with his manly charm," Nikki said dryly. "Not that I ever experience that side of him." Jude had to laugh at her tone.

"He can be pretty sweet when he wants to be," she admitted. Nikki suddenly sprang from the couch.

"You should tell him. At least the first part. If you feel like blurting the rest out, then slap a hand over your mouth. Bradin's been going crazy over the last couple weeks. He hasn't gone back in the ocean at all. Maybe if you told him, he'd be able to surf again," Nikki said earnestly.

"Do you really think it would make that much of a difference?" Jude asked. "He hasn't said that much about it to me."

"I think so, at least it would help with the memories." Nikki threw her a pleading smile. "Why don't you go see him at work? I'll go with you." Before Jude could protest or even utter another word, she found herself being pulled off the floor and out the door.

"This is a bad idea," she whispered to herself. Nikki continued to chatter on as they walked.

"I think it's a good idea. While you guys talk, I'll go to see Cameron. He's working today too." Nikki grinned. Jude was in deep thought barely noticed her good mood and she was walking so slowly that Nikki had already reached the shop and was peering through the glass door. Jude walked up next to her, and the other girl almost shoved her away from the door.

"What's going on?" Jude asked, now shocked out of her daze.

"I, um, think we should wait until later," Nikki stammered nervously. "It looks busy in there." She tried to get Jude to move away from the entrance.

"What are you talking about? You're the one who wants me to tell him. I can just wait until customers leave." Jude looked through the glass. "There's no one in there…" her voice trailed off as she scanned the store, her eyes falling squarely on Bradin in an embrace with a beautiful girl, who was definitely not his ex-girlfriend. She was completely stunned. What was he doing? Had he been lying to her all along? She tried to take a deep breath, but almost choked instead. "You know, it does look busy in there." She took a step backward and almost fell off the sidewalk.

"I'm sure this it not what it looks like," Nikki tried to smooth things over.

"Looks pretty real to me," Jude said, bewilderedly. "I think I'd better get going. Lots to do. Have fun with Cameron and thanks for talking to me earlier," she said in a tight voice and took off almost at a run.

"Wait!" Nikki called after her, but she was already halfway down the block and nearing the corner. As she ran, she fumbled in her pocket for the social worker's card. _Well, Ms. Jamison, you got what you wanted_ she thought. _I'm leaving this time and not coming back._ As soon as she could reach a phone, one phone call later, and she would never have to see him again.

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**All right, that's all I have for now. I'm not used to writing this kind of drama, so if it sounds a little awkward, well, I'll work on it for next time. The title is a song by Josh Groban. I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading!**


	14. Forgive Me

**Hey all, yes, I know I'm pretty much the slowest updater ever! Studying all the time gives me the worst writer's block. But the good news is that summer quarter ends in a week! That means I'll have more time in which to write, so hopefully I'll finish this story soon. Thanks for all your reviews, they really mean a lot to me!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a thing, except my own characters.**

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Bradin's day had started normally, but as the morning progressed, things began to pile up. As soon as he had set foot in the shop, a crowd of people had piled through the doors. This was great for business, but not when he was the lone employee for the next few hours. Every other customer was a tourist, which mean he spent countless minutes discussing the basics of surfing over and over and assuring the worried mothers that their children would not die after setting foot in the ocean. Of course there were the tourists who just had to know whether he was a pro surfer and assumed that he surfed all the time. He would only smile politely as possible, while inwardly grimacing, and answer with a polite, "Actually, I'm taking a break from surfing for awhile." This response was usually enough to satisfy their curiosity, and he was free to move onto the next customer. After about an hour of a constant stream of people, he was ready for the day to be over. The arrival of a familiar face was enough to lighten his mood, yet to cause feelings of apprehension. "Callie, what a surprise to see you!" Was he sounding too cheerful, or could she hear the uneasiness in his voice? They had rarely talked since breaking up earlier in the summer. Why was she there anyways?

"Hey Bradin, how's work going?" Callie asked brightly. His suspicion heightened as he replied. "Oh, it's been busy for the past hour. Lots of tourists coming in." Finally, he couldn't hold in his question anymore. "Uh, Callie, are you sure you're in the right place? It's not like we have talked for awhile. In fact, I didn't think you were going to ever talk to me again." He crossed his arms and waited for her answer.

"Well, what's been done is done, and we can't change it now. Besides, I couldn't stay mad at you forever! What would be the point of that?" She came closer, and now stood directly in front of him. "Plus, I've missed you since we never see each other anymore." Bradin didn't know how to answer this, so he changed the subject.

"So, how are you and Lucas doing?" he asked, referring to her boyfriend and his surfing buddy.

"Actually, things are going pretty well," she said. "Not amazing, but okay."

"And what do I have to do with that?" he said sharply. "I thought you guys were doing fine. Didn't take long for you to move on." She flinched at his words and assumed a hurt expression.

"You weren't exactly slow at jumping back in the dating pool either. Not to mention, wasn't she Jay's ex-girlfriend?"

"Yes she was, but we're not dating. Get your facts checked next time," he retorted. Callie sighed heavily.

"Listen, Bradin. I didn't come here to argue with you. I came here as a friend, hoping to talk to a friend, but I guess that we can't get over the past."

"Guess not," was his noncommittal reply.

"Honestly, can't you ever think of anyone else but yourself?" she said, half-angrily. He felt remorseful for wanting to pick a fight.

"I'm sorry Callie. I'm not in the best mood right now. Things have been hectic lately," he said.

"I heard about your accident," she said. "One of my friends works at the emergency call center, and she knew that I knew you, so she told me about the call."

"That night definitely ranks high on my not-so-bright idea list," Bradin said.

"They never did find out who was out there that night, did they?'

"Nope," he answered. Her prying made in uncomfortable. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" She seemed to be wavering between telling him something and keeping silent. After a moment, she spoke.

"I just wanted to stop by and say hi. We haven't talked in forever."

"True, it's been awhile," he agreed.

"How have things been for you?" Callie asked.

"Pretty good. I haven't been doing much lately since school's starting soon. Got to enjoy the last few weeks before our senior year," Bradin said.

"I know! I can't believe we're graduating next year," she exclaimed. "Things sure can change quickly." He knew what she was referring to, but chose not to address it.

"Change can be good," he said. If Callie seemed disappointed by his evasive comments, she was doing a good job of hiding the fact. They stood there in awkward silence, before she checked her phone.

"Oh, I've got to get going. I have to meet someone," she said suddenly.

"Yeah, I'd probably better get back to work before I get caught slacking."

She turned to leave, but paused. Her expression became somber. "You know, I wish things would have worked out between us. I'm really sorry about the way it ended. Maybe if we would have taken more time to talk things over instead of always arguing." She was truly apologetic.

"I'm sorry too," he admitted.

"If we only had the chance to try again."

"It's over, you know." He tried to sound as kind as possible. She looked down, suddenly as if she was ashamed for even uttering such words.

"I know. I didn't mean to say that."

"But maybe it was for the best. I mean, you're happy, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am. What about you?"

"I'll be fine," he said and left it at that.

"I've heard around town about your new houseguest," Callie mentioned nonchalantly.

"What have you heard?" this aroused his curiosity.

"Oh, rumors I guess. Don't worry about it," Callie said, seeing his worried expression. "I see how you feel about the situation." He reddened at her meaning. Even after all this time, she could still read him like a book.

"Uh, do you mind not sharing that with the world?" he asked.

"Sure, I will. I've got to go now, but I'll talk to you later. Be careful, will you Bradin?" she suddenly hugged him. He wondered at her concern, but pushed away the thought.

"Okay," he answered, breaking out of the embrace.

"Good-bye, Bradin," she said.

"Bye, Callie," he answered, watching as she left the store. He turned back to clearing off the counter, missing the way she paused to look at him one last time before leaving. Not even ten minutes later, Nikki barged through the door.

"Hey big brother, are you having a good morning?" The sarcasm in her voice was so thick, he had to look at her twice to make sure it was actually his sister.

"Hi Nikki. What are you doing here?" She just stared at him.

"You've done it now," was all she said, standing there slightly shaking her head at him.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Bradin was completely confused by her odd behavior. "Lay off the mystery and just tell me what you mean."

"Who was just in here?" Nikki asked innocently. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her.

"Callie. She just wanted to ask me a question. Why do you want to know?"

"You don't still like her, do you? I mean, you're over her now, aren't you?"

"Nikki, I think we've gone over this more than once. For the final time, yes, I'm over Callie. Now, can you just tell me what's going on?" he asked in exasperation. She suddenly looked guilty and mumbled something under her breath. "Could you repeat that? I didn't hear," he asked, watching her squirm under his gaze.

"Jude and I came down here earlier to see you. And, well, she might have seen you and Callie hugging," Nikki said in a rush. "Why were you hugging her anyways?" Bradin inwardly groaned.

"We're just friends. We haven't talked in awhile and had some things to clear up," Bradin said. "Where's Jude now?"

"Well, she looked like she wanted to fall through the floor. I tried to tell her who it was, but she had already taken off down the sidewalk," Nikki said. "I wanted to stop her, but she runs faster than me. So, I came back here."

"She's going to hate me," Bradin said, trying to think of a way to explain himself. "I should have told her about Callie earlier."

"Why should that be important? You're just friends," said Nikki. "Or are you?"

"You know too?" he asked tiredly.

"Bradin Westerly, I've lived with you for years. Don't you think I'd have you pegged by now?" She looked amused, but all humor disappeared when she saw his face. "I guess you really like her, huh?"

"I do, Nik," he said heavily, leaning on the counter and rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I just keep messing things up all the time."

"Then what are you still doing here? Go talk to her!" Nikki stared at him in amazement. "Since when do you give up so easily?"

"It's too late. She's already given me a second chance."

"If that's all she gives you, then she isn't really worth it," Nikki told him. "I don't think that she's that kind of girl."

"True," he agreed. "But I don't think that there's anything I can do this time."

"Go explain yourself. She'll understand," she ordered. "I'll stay here and watch the place. Make sure it doesn't burn down or anything."

"How do you know what she's going to do?"

"Bradin, don't talk, just go." Nikki said in frustration. She pushed him out the door. "I'll talk to you later."

"Thanks, Nik," he said.

"Don't thank me just yet," she threw after him and shut the door behind him. Bradin slowly jogged towards the house, trying to formulate some sort of apology in his mind. He mentally steeled himself before opening the door.

"Jude?" he called. Then he saw her standing in the kitchen with the phone in her hand. He sprinted across the room and tugged the phone out of her hands and slamed it back on the base.

"What do you think you're doing?" she shouted at him.

"Don't do it. Don't call her," he exclaimed. "I know that you have that lady's card. Don't do this." She stared at him, her brown eyes flashing darts at him.

"Why shouldn't I?" she asked, enunciating every word.

"Jude, I'm really sorry about earlier. I should have told you about Callie before this."

"Tell me what? That you like another girl?" she spat out. She scooted away from him and leaned again the counter, crossing her arms tightly. "How exactly were you going to tell me? Do explain."

"I don't like Callie. At least not like that," Bradin said, in exasperation. "She's my ex-girlfriend. Nothing happened. She just wanted to talk for a minute."

"I'm sure you wanted to," Jude said, knowing that she was being completely unfair, but stubbornly held her ground.

"Callie and I are over. It's been a long time since I've even thought of her," he said. "How many times am I going to have to tell you?"

"I don't believe you," she retorted.

"Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" Bradin asked, trying to keep his temper. "You're the one who wants to keep this a secret."

"Well, maybe I don't want to anymore."

"Then why didn't you just say so instead of doing this?" he asked in bewilderment.

"I, oh, I don't know!" Jude exclaimed. She chewed on her lower lip. "I thought that maybe it would be best if we weren't together. Then nothing bad would happen, everyone would be fine and that would be the end of it." She stared at the floor.

"You think that if we are together, something's going to happen."

"Yes, because it always does," she said, her anger dissipating.

"Maybe this time won't be the same," he said. "If you're always looking for the bad things, you're going to miss out on an awful lot of the good stuff." She nodded.

"I believe you."

"I'm so sorry for not telling you about Callie, and I should have. She's great, but she's not you."

"I don't feel like I measure up to them."

"Jude, I did date them, but that's in the past. I don't want Callie or Erika, I want you," he said honestly. She stared at him, her eyes wide. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I think I understand now," she said quietly.

"Even though we haven't know each other for that long, you're my one true friend," Bradin admitted. "I like you a lot, and I don't want you to go."

"Bradin Westerly, sometimes you are the most insufferable and frustrating guy I've ever met. But I don't know what I'd do without you," Jude said, blushing furiously. She hugged him fiercely. "And, I forgive you, always." Then she added, "Now I need to say I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't trust you." Jude said. "And, I already called Ms. Jamison." The words stumbled out awkwardly.

"And?" he held his breath.

"You'll be glad to know I hung up before she answered. I couldn't go through with it," Jude said. "You came in right as I was about to hang up the phone."

"So you had me all worried for nothing?" Bradin said.

"I guess so, but it was pretty nice hearing that you liked me," Jude laughed.

"Did you mean what you said about not wanting to keep this secret anymore?"

"Yes, I did," she said, giving him a funny look. "Why?"

"Then shall we make it official?" Bradin asked. "Will you be my girl? That is, not just in secret." Jude looked away from him, trying to hide her smile.

"I'd love to," she said, beaming at him. He bridged the gap between them in one swift movement and without hesitating, kissed her. This time she didn't pull away, but let herself enjoy the moment, which ended much too quickly. Bradin pulled away, a look of regret on his face.

"I almost forgot that Nikki's covering for me at the shop, but I get off early this afternoon. I'll see you then?"

"Yeah, I'll be around here," she answered.

"Just wanted to make sure," he grinned mischievously at her. "You seem to like disappearing here and there." With that final statement, he was gone again, but this time with a much easier conscience. Jude wandered out to the back patio, where she leaned against the railing and stared out at the ocean. Her thoughts were all jumbled around inside her head, but deep inside, all she felt was utter contentment. A fluttering white object trapped in the nearby bushes caught her eye. She untangled the thing, which turned out to be a sheet of regular notebook paper. After smoothing out the creases, she realized her name was on one side. The words on the page, scrawled in childish block letters, jumped out at her. **Are you ready to play a little game? Winner takes all, and you're prime for losing. It's not over, in fact, it's just begun.** There was a postscript near the corner of the paper. She read: **Oh, and if you show anyone this letter or tell anyone, you'll regret it.** She immediately scanned the nearby bushes and surrounding area, but saw no one.Jude stared at the paper, rereading the cryptic words repeatedly until they blurred in her mind. What did this person mean by "It's not over"? Was this some sort of a joke, or was there a deeper meaning that she wasn't aware of? A sour feeling settled in her stomach. She shivered involuntarily and hurried into the house, determined to analyze every bit of the note and destroy it before anyone else had a chance to see it. Suddenly, the day didn't seem as bright and carefree as before.

* * *

**Well, that's all I could come up with for now. I think I've got another few chapters to go before finishing this off, and then on to the next. Oh yes, the title comes from the song Forgive Me by Evanescence. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! **


	15. One Step Closer

**Hey everyone! Sorry about the long wait, but I've been having a bit of writer's block. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

* * *

Jude paced back and forth in the living room, trying to not panic at the note that she had placed on the table. Since the house was empty, no one else was around to witness her mental processing. Who would have sent her such a note? She mentally ran down a list of the people she knew but came up empty. The only thing she could think of was some person playing a cruel joke. Even then, she didn't know who would be terrible enough to send a threatening note. To distract herself, she threw herself into cleaning the house, scrubbing down every visible surface in the living room, kitchen, and bathrooms. She hung the wet towel she had used out on the back patio and continued to clean the counters. Jude was unaware of how much time had passed until Nikki walked in the door with Cameron trailing after her. "Hi Jude," Nikki said, surveying the pristine countertops with some surprise. "Wow, you really went to town cleaning."

"I thought this would be a good way to help out some around here," Jude answered as she rubbed at a stain in the sink.

"Well, I'm sure Aunt Ava will be surprised and excited. She's not exactly the neatest person I know," Nikki laughed. "Not that having three kids around helps matters."

"Uh, do you need help with that?" Cameron asked, watching Jude tip a very full bucket of hot, soapy water into the sink.

"Nope, I got it," she huffed, slowly pouring the contents down the drain.

"So, did everything work out?" Nikki asked in a low voice, out of earshot of Cameron.

"Yeah, we did. Thanks for telling me to do it," Jude said. "We kind of understand each other a little better now."

"That's what meddling little sisters are for," she said with a self-satisfied smile. "Hey, have you seen my sunglasses? They were sitting out here earlier." As Nikki rummaged through some papers on the table, Jude had a flash of panic when she realized that the note was still lying out in plain view.

"Where are you two headed?" she asked, moving in front of the table effectively blocking the note from view and hoping they didn't notice her sudden nervousness.

"Oh, we're going on a walk down the beach, and then, who knows?" Nikki smiled at Cameron and hooked her arm through his. "Cam has some random idea up his sleeve that he refuses to tell me."

"All I want is to keep her away from the new textbooks she just bought for school." Cameron said jokingly. "We don't have that much time before school starts and if I have to hear about the early Roman Empire one more time, I might go crazy!"

"You know you love it," Nikki said airily. They exchanged a smile. "We'll leave you to your cleaning. Don't work too hard!" The two of them walked hand-in-hand out the door. Jude let out the breath she had been holding and slowly picked up the note, crumpling it into a little ball. She ripped the paper into tiny shreds until it formed a small pile on the table.

"Out of sight, out of mind," she muttered under her breath. Just at that moment, Bradin chose to walk in the door. She jumped up and ran over the sink where she shoved the remnants into the garbage can underneath before he saw what she was doing. "Hey Bradin!" she said hurriedly.

"Hey, how's your afternoon been? Did you miss me?" he asked mischievously. "Been busy much?" he commented, gazing around the spotless kitchen.

"I got bored," she shrugged. "Now that I'm not throwing away cupboards full of canned goods."

"Is everything okay?: he asked after spying a distant look in her eyes.

"Yes, everything's fine," she answered quickly. "Why do you ask?" She forced a laugh.

"Oh, I don't know. You look a little distracted."

"That could be due to the overwhelming amount of cleaning chemicals I've inhaled this afternoon." Jude said, gesturing around her.

"Yeah, that Windex gets to me every time," Bradin said, relieved. "Are you still up for doing something tonight?"

"Sure. What do you have in mind?" She watched him grimace suddenly.

"I just remembered. Since school starts in a couple weeks, Aunt Ava's taking Derrick, Nikki, and me shopping for school supplies tonight." He made a face. "At least it's my senior year." He looked at her. "Hey, what about you? You're starting school here, aren't you?"

"That's what I was planning on. I registered last week," she answered. "I've got a lot of leftover supplies from my last attempt at school." At his questioning look, she quickly added, "We didn't stay at that town too long. Brian got it in his head that everyone was spying on him."

"Does that mean you're behind?"

"No, I should be on track to graduate on time."

"Well, I'm not too fond of school, but the bonus is that I get to spend more time with you," he threw her a devilish grin.

"Who says we'd be in the same classes?" she teased, her eyes flashing. He leaned forward and kissed her. A loud crash caused them to jump apart. They looked over to see Jay leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, and the books he'd purposefully dropped spread across the floor.

"Just friends, huh?" he said, his eyebrows arched. Jude could feel her face begin to burn.

"Well, um," she stuttered, trying to speak, but could only fumble for words.

"Listen Jay," Bradin began, but Jay interrupted.

"I'm not your parent, Bradin. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"So you won't tell?"

"No, it's not really my business to tell you what to do. All I have to say is that it's going to look a little suspicious with the two of you living in the same house," he said, all the while picking up the books off the floor and placing them on the table.

"I, uh, we've discussed that," Jude stammered.

"We're not doing anything wrong," Bradin protested.

"I'm not sure if your aunt would agree," Jay said with a laugh. "Just be careful, okay?" They both nodded, relieved to know that Jay didn't mind.

"What are those books for? I didn't think you read," Bradin asked, peering closer to read the titles.

"Oh, these are more textbooks for Nikki. She ordered them special, but they arrived late this afternoon. I brought them home for her. Speaking of school, aren't you guys going shopping tonight?"

"Don't remind me," Bradin groaned. "I think if I hear Nikki talk about how she's looking forward to taking AP classes one more time, I'm going to be sick."

"What if I start talking about all my AP classes?" Jude asked in an innocent voice. She winked at Jay before turning expectantly to Bradin with a straight face.

"I mean, all that studying, it's kind of a rush," she giggled when she saw the look of disgust on Bradin's face. "Don't worry, I'm not too thrilled about all the homework either. But like you said earlier, it's only one more year."

"Boy, it's been awhile since I was in school. I'm glad that I'm done," Jay said in a sing-song voice.

"It'd look kind of weird if you were still in school at your ripe old age," Jude shot back, the sarcasm evident.

"Touché," Jay said, with a mock bow. "Well, I've got a hot date, so I've got to get going. Don't do anything stupid like burn the house down or something."

"A hot date?" Bradin asked in disbelief.

"Okay, okay, I'm going to dinner with a friend I haven't seen in a few years. She's not exactly horrible looking, so there's possibilities."

"You have fun with that," said Bradin. "Jude, want to hit the beach for awhile?"

"Sure," she replied. "See you later, Jay." They made a quick exit and were soon strolling along the shoreline, in what had become a daily ritual.

"Are you okay?" Bradin asked. "You seem a little different."

"I'm good," Jude insisted. "It's just taking awhile to get used to everything that's been happening."

"True, it's been crazy around here lately," he said. Jude watched him cast a longing look at the waves. She decided to breach the next topic carefully.

"Do you still have those dreams?" He looked at her questioningly.

"Why are you asking?"

"I saw you watching the water, so I assume that you're thinking about surfing again," she explained, reaching out to take his hand.

"No, I haven't had any for a couple nights, which has been nice," he answered. "I want to make sure that I won't freak out or anything before I go back in."

"That's a good plan. You'll know when the right time comes," she smiled encouragingly at him.

"You know, I'm glad someone understands. Other people keep asking why I haven't hit the waves in awhile. It's nice to have no secrets with someone." At his words, Jude felt a twinge of guilt.

"Yep, no secrets," she muttered guiltily.

"What'd you say?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing important," Jude answered. "I was just thinking out loud." She felt literally sick to her stomach at the web of lies she was beginning to weave, but what else could she do? She managed to fake a smile, yet could feel the paranoia begin to creep upon her again. Without attracting his attention, she threw a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was following them. The words from the note continued to replay through her head. She was probably overreacting. No, she had to be overreacting. It must be some kind of a joke because no one else knew of the necklace except for Nikki, and she wasn't likely to be going around and scaring people. They continued walking in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Are you sure everything's all right?" Bradin asked for what seemed to be the millionth time.

"Yes, everything's fine," she told him again.

"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" he asked, catching her off guard.

"No," Jude felt horrible for lying to him about telling the truth. This wasn't exactly a great way to build a relationship, it was more likely to tear it to pieces. But maybe, she reasoned to herself, if lying to him now kept him safe, he would understand. That small hope was enough to convince her to keep her resolve.

"You can always tell me anything," he said, which only made her feel worse.

"I know."

"I mean, if there's anything…."

"Bradin, I understand. Everything's fine." She didn't mean to sound harsh, but if he kept asking, she might cave in. Fortunately, the strain in her voice was lost on him.

"Okay, good." She could tell he didn't exactly buy her story, but he chose to drop the subject and completely switched gears. "We need to get back soon because I think we're leaving for the store at 6."

"Gotta love back-to-school shopping." Their conversation was now somewhat forced. The urge to tell him everything, to stop deceiving him, was threatening to overwhem her. She was about to spill everything, when he beat her to it.

"Jude?" Bradin's voice brought her back to reality. "I was wondering if you wanted to go out on Sunday night. We haven't even been on a date, and I thought it would be nice."

"I'd love to do that," The words had left her mouth before she could stop them. She had to stop living as if danger was lurking around every corner and going on a nice, normal date wasn't going to kill her. "Just as long as it doesn't involve the pier."

"All right, no pier will be necessary. I won't tell you where because it's a surprise."

"A surprise, or is it because you don't know where yet?" She laughed at his sheepish expression.

"Maybe a little of both," he admitted. "But it's always worked out in the end," he said with self-satisfaction. "Just wait for my lead."

"I do love mystery in a man," she teased him. He rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. "We'd better get back before Nikki sends out a search party. I've never seen anyone so excited about the thought of getting homework."

"And my night was just getting good until you mentioned school," he said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Hey, you never know, maybe we will have some classes together."

"That's right. I'd rather learn about history of the Dark Ages with you than anyone else."

They walked into the house right into the middle of chaos. Ava was rushing around claiming someone had misplaced her purse, while Johnny was trying to catch up to her to tell her that he had it. Derrick was sitting at the table, calmly eating a sandwich and trying to ignore Nikki who was excitedly talking to him about the joys of algebra. "This is why I avoid shopping with the family. It's always crazy." Bradin commented to Jude, who watched the frantic activity with some amusement. A sudden thought hit her.

"I forgot I left the towels out earlier. I'll be right back," she said before ducking back outside. They were right where she'd left them, and she shook them out before folding them on the table. To her dismay, a small scrap of paper fell from the folds of one towel as she shook it. With shaking hands, she picked up the paper and read it. **You should have left when you had the chance. Now it's too late. You had your choice, and you chose wrong. Remember what I said earlier. Don't believe everything you see.** She swallowed hard as she reread the note. From inside the house, she could hear Bradin calling her. He walked outside. "Hey, we're leaving now. Are you coming or not?" She forced a smile, all the while stuffing the note into her pocket.

"I'm coming," she said. There was no time to contemplate the meaning behind the words in the note. Right now, she had one night to live a normal life, and she wasn't going to miss it. The note could wait.

* * *

**All right, that's all I could come up with for now. This story is really close to the end, so I'm trying to make sure all the loose ends get tied up. The title is from the song One Step Closer by Linkin Park. Hopefully, I'll have the next part out over the weekend. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!  
**


	16. Into My Web

**To my loyal readers: Thank you so much for being patient with me! My schedule is so weird...I get called in to work all the time, so writing time is limited. **

**ShiaLover09: Okay, don't lose it. I did update, not as soon as I would have liked, but at least it's not 5 weeks this time. Hopefully, this chapter has enough excitement in it for you! Thanks for all your awesome messages. They make my day:) Plus, they give me incentive to continue.  
**

**angel-prncess-18: You've been such a loyal reader from the beginning. You have no idea how much that means to me! Yep, it's almost done, but it's been great having people like you along for the ride.**

**6Ellie6: I have you hooked, huh? That's pretty impressive:) I'm glad you like the story, and you'll find out who's sending the notes in this chapter. **

**Sweet-Romantic: Nice guess about who's sending the notes! I won't spoil the surprise, but keep reading and you'll know soon! Thanks for reviewing!**

**I haven't had a disclaimer in awhile, and I really don't want to be sued, so here goes: I don't own anything except my own characters, I just borrow them. That's it. The end.**

* * *

The weekend had been anticlimactic. Bradin had worked all day Saturday and part of Sunday due to a increased amount of tourists who had come for some random wine festival. The mixture of alcohol and surfing wasn't a good combination, so the day hadn't been a fun experience, to say the least. If he had to listen to one more complaining customer, his head might explode. In fact, a perpetual headache plagued him as he walked down the sidewalk back to his house. The words of that night still haunted him. He kept replaying the conversation repeatedly in his head, but no matter what he said, the outcome stayed the same.

* * *

The night had started off fun, traipsing up and down store aisles crammed with pencils, paper, and those little containers of pencil lead refills. Then after standing in line for half an hour at the checkout, they realized that Nikki had forgotten to grab a new pencil sharpener, so it had been a mad dash to the back of the store. Of course, the line was a mile long when she got back, so the wait tripled. While Ava was occupied with a load of questions from Derrick on the benefits of recycled paper, Bradin seized the moment to sneak up behind Jude and hug her from behind. She didn't even flinch, but only leaned against him. "Having fun yet?" he whispered in her ear.

"Everything I do with you and your family is fun," she answered, smiling, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "They're pretty amazing."

"I know they like you too," he said. "It's great having you around." She looked at him, an undeterminable look crossing her face.

"But how much longer is this going to go on? I can't stay with you guys forever."

"Why not?" He pulled a completely innocent expression. She gently pushed him.

"You know why. This is only a temporary arrangement. You remember what Ms. Jamison said. She thinks I should be somewhere else. Probably with my distant relatives whom I haven't seem in years."

"We'll have to figure something out to convince her to let you stay permanently," Bradin said confidently. Jude didn't look so certain. She chose her next words carefully.

"If I do leave eventually, I want you to know it wouldn't be because I want to go. Because I don't."

"I'm glad you don't. But don't worry about it tonight. There will be time to worry about it tomorrow," he said. Jude desperately wanted to believe him, that nothing was wrong, and they had time. Inwardly, she knew it was not the case. Something was wrong, terribly wrong, but she didn't know what. She said nothing.

Bradin could feel her tense up and immediately knew he had touched a nerve. He chose to not say anything. If there was something going on, she would surely tell him. Right? A little seed of doubt sprang up in his mind, but he shrugged it off. If she didn't trust him all that much, it was mostly his fault anyways. He hadn't made himself too trustworthy as of late now had he? Ava's voice made the two of them jump apart in an instant. "Hey you two, we're ready to go." Bradin threw her a guilty look to see her reaction. He thought for sure he had seen a glimpse of a smile tugging on the corners of her mouth, but he blinked and it was gone. Thankfully, she hadn't reacted in a negative way like he thought she would. That much was a relief. He and Jude almost reluctantly followed the rest of the family out the door. Bradin was uncharacteristically silent on the ride home; his mind was occupied with thoughts of the last few weeks. Suddenly, he knew. He knew what Jude had been trying to subtly tell him, just not with words. And he'd missed the signs completely.

As soon as they reached the house, he made a beeline for the deck and crossed his arms on the railing. Breathing deeply of the cool night air, he let the ocean breeze wash over him. Behind him, he could hear Jude approaching. "You're going to leave for good this time, aren't you." His quiet statement hung in the air between them. She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. He could see the resignation on her face.

"I didn't know how to tell you," she said miserably.

"Why? What's going on?" his voice was urgent, begging her to tell him

"Bradin, I can't say," was her reply.

"Can't? Or won't?" he asked bitterly.

"Maybe Ms. Jamison was right. Maybe we aren't supposed to be together," she said. He could get as angry as he wanted, even yell at her, but this time she wasn't going to back down. There was too much possibly at stake, and she couldn't break now.

"You're not a very good liar," he said, calling her bluff. "I've helped you before. Why not now?" His eyes met hers, his full of some sadness, and hers silently willing him to understand.

"There are some things I have to do myself. You've been there for me so many times…this is one thing you can't do for me."

"I don't understand," he said. "There's something you're not telling me."

"Bradin, I like you. A lot. But until things are completely resolved, I can't put you through this. If there's anything I can do for you, this is that one thing," Jude tried to explain. "You've glimpsed a little of how my life works. I want to live a normal life. I don't want to have to be continually looking over my shoulder and wondering if there's someone there. Someday, everything will be normal. But here's not the place to start over."

"Then there is something you're hiding," Bradin stared at her.

"We all hide things from each other," Jude said, logically. "I think it's part of human nature to not be found out."

A sick realization was dawning on him. She was going to leave, and there was nothing he could do to stop her. He turned slightly away from her so she couldn't see how this affected him. "You'll be okay, won't you?"

"I've made it this far. I'll be fine," she smiled encouragingly at him. He couldn't understand how she could be smiling. Personally, all he wanted to do was go punch something. She could sense his turmoil and took both of his hands into hers.

"I know it doesn't make sense, but please trust me?"

"I don't know if I can," he admitted, resignation taking hold. "I don't know what to say anymore."

"Just say that you believe me, and that we'll always be friends," she said quietly. "Please." He swallowed hard.

"You know that's never going to change," he said. "No matter what, I'll still be here." She rested her head on his shoulder, and they stood there silently for some time, the peaceful night doing nothing to calm the storms within them.

* * *

And so it was decided. They had one more day. That was it. And then it would be all over. One more day of happiness before Ms. Jamison would come and take away the one person who had made him feel more than anything else in the last few weeks had. Bradin didn't exactly know what to feel. It was a mixture of hurt, anger, and confusion. But maybe she was right after all. Maybe they weren't ready for each other. No, that wasn't it. Thinking about it wasn't helping his headache any, so he turned his attention to the night that lay ahead. Hopefully, it would be one to remember.

* * *

Jude felt horrible. She sat at the table on the back deck, her head resting on her arms. Maybe if she'd only kept her mouth shut, she wouldn't be feeling this way. But no, she had to play the martyr one last time. "It's for his own good," she kept telling herself. Only she knew the truth that it wasn't just for him, but for her sake also. If something ever happened to him because of her actions, she didn't think she would be able to live with herself. For her entire life, she had left a path of destruction and pain in her wake. This would be the end of that cycle. Never again would she allow herself to get close to someone. Thankfully, Bradin wasn't here to hear her thoughts or he would have laughed and told her that she was overreacting. She was going to miss that kid, more than anyone would ever know.

Her musings were interrupted by Nikki, who chose that moment to seat herself at the table. "Hey, how's it going?" she asked brightly. Much too happy for Jude's current mood.

"I'm good, thanks," she answered dismissively. Maybe she would leave.

"Awesome, well, I found this earlier and thought I'd give it to you now." Nikki slid her a folded sheet of paper across the table. She bounded up from the table. "Well, I've got lots to do, so I'll see you later!" Jude shook her head slightly. She envied the younger girl's boundless energy. Quickly unfolding the sheet, she scanned the note. Relief filled her when she saw that it was from Bradin.

**Dear Jude,**

**Meet me at the cove tonight at 5:00 pm. Just go to the place where we first met, and around to the other side of the rocks. There's an opening in the rocks. Follow the path inside. You won't regret it, I promise!**

**Bradin**

Jude smiled to herself. She left the paper on the table and checked the clock on the microwave and saw that it was just past 4:30. Before leaving the house, she checked her appearance in the mirror. After running a brush through her long hair, she splashed cold water on her face to circumvent the telltale sadness that marked her face. She decided to leave her hair down instead of tied back into its customary ponytail. Although the day was still warm, Jude grabbed a sweater just in case they stayed out awhile and ran out of the house. She headed down the beach.

* * *

Bradin let himself inside the house. The house was quiet; it appeared as though no one was there. He went to go take a shower and change before coming back downstairs. It seemed unnaturally still. Something was off, but he couldn't quite pin down what was different. Normally, Jude was somewhere in the house, often reading a book or if she was nervous, cleaning a room. He wandered from room to room, but there was no sign of her. As he came downstairs, Ava and Nikki were just walking through the door. "Hey, have you guys seen Jude?" he asked. They shook their heads.

"I saw her about half an hour ago. I gave her a note I found in the mailbox. She read it and left," Nikki said, handing him the paper. "I thought it was from you," she said slowly.

"I didn't leave any note," Bradin said doubtfully. He silently read the words, the full meaning of the message dawning on him. Without another word, he dropped the paper onto the table and dashed out the door. As he sprinted through the sand, one thought ran through his head. He hoped he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Jude easily found the cave opening, but navigating the rocky entrance was another story. She leaned against the wall and carefully edged her way inside. In hindsight, she wished that she had brought a flashlight. The path was dark, and knowing her, she would probably trip a time or two. As she slowly made her way deeper into the cave, the walls became narrower and the light from the entrance became faint. Up ahead of her, she could barely make out a glimmer of light. Within minutes, Jude found herself in a spacious cavern that contained an indoor pool of water, which was continually rising and ebbing with the tide. The light she had seen earlier was from the dozens of candles that were placed around the room. Jude looked around for Bradin but didn't see him anywhere. "Are you here?" she called out, slowly walking closer to the water. No one answered. The silence was eerily calm. Then a strangely familiar voice caused her to stop in her tracks.

"Oh, were you expecting someone else?" the voice asked mockingly. Jude suddenly felt hot and dizzy. A lump filled her throat. That voice sounded so familiar.

"No," she whispered to herself. "It can't be." But there was no mistaking who it was. Jude swallowed hard. The name of the one person she never hoped to see again fell from her lips. "Brian?"

* * *

**Okay, don't kill me on this ending. I'll explain it all in the next part, honest I will.**

**Well, people, it's almost the end. Kind of feels weird, but there's only 2 more parts to this story. Thank you all for your reviews and positive feedback. I've really appreciated it! The song for the title is Into My Web by The Used...great song, by the way.**


	17. If This Is Goodbye

**Okay, I'm horrible about updating, but this part is kind of long, so maybe that'll help make up for it.**

**ShiaLover09: You know how I like tragedy and such...You'll find out soon if I can go through with it or not! And yes, Brian's her "dead" dad, but he'd not so dead right now. I love your reviews. They are so entertaining to read, and I always look forward to them. Not really a cliffhanger this time, so you can leave off the caps:)  
**

**6Ellie6: Yep, there are only 2 parts left, but we're going out with a bang...literally. Also, I am writing another, not a sequel, but it's a story, nonetheless. Hopefully, this has enough excitement in it for you! Thanks for your comments. I enjoy them greatly!**

**angel-prncess-18: I love twists in the endings of books! Unless they're bad ones, and then I get angry. As for Bradin getting there...you'll have to read to find out! I'm downright awful, aren't I? I'm glad that you enjoy my stories. It's an honor for me to have such nice people reading my work and not throwing it out the window or something.**

* * *

Jude was completely stunned. Her supposedly-dead stepfather was standing right in front of her. He was alive. That one thought kept running through her mind. How had he survived? The police had said there was no way he could have made it out of the car crash alive.

"Hello, dear, are you surprised to see me?" Brian stepped out of the shadows. He shined a flashlight directly into her eyes, causing her to put her hands in front of her eyes. His steely eyes glinted menacingly at her, and his sardonic smile never reached his eyes. He reeked of alcohol. Jude could feel the blood rushing to her head. She backed up as if to run away, but the glint of metal of the small-caliber handgun he was holding, stopped her from running. "Not so fast," he said. "We have a little talking to do."

"I think that there's nothing left to say," Jude said, mustering up all the courage she could.

"Oh, really?" He raised an eyebrow. "If that was the case, I wouldn't have gone to all the trouble to bring you here tonight. No, I think there are plenty of things to talk about. Now, sit down!" he ordered, gesturing with his gun at a boulder right next to the water. "I know you don't like water, which makes keeping you here much easier." Jude sat, crossing her arms and managed to stop shaking quite so much. "I see you've gained a little backbone since we last talked."

"No thanks to you," she shot back. He stuck the gun in her face.

"Manners, please," he ordered. "If you do as I say, then you'll only die a painless death."

"And if I refuse?" she asked, surprised at her own audacity.

"Then I will make sure that it will hurt a little more," Brian said calmly, as he tied a rope tightly around her wrists. Jude noticed that interestingly enough, he tied her hands in front. "Don't worry, I'll take care of your little boyfriend and his family once I'm done here." With this mention, he saw the first real flicker of fear in her eyes. "Oh, did that mean something to you? So, you'll do as I say?" he asked. At her reluctant nod, he laughed. "I knew that would do the trick. You're much too soft."

"I'm not the one who pretended to die and then went into hiding," Jude accused. She knew it was a risky move, but if only to keep him talking. The police had said the car had completely burned. Brian couldn't have survived much less without any scarring. Unless…he hadn't been in the car in the first place.

"Ah yes, you did figure it out," he said, correctly interpreting the look on her face. "I did my research to make sure it would work without a hitch. All it took was pulling a few teeth and bingo, fresh DNA for the police to sink their teeth into."

"So, you planted the bridge inside the car because you knew they'd use dental records," she guessed. "I didn't think you had that many brains."

"Yes, the bridge worked. I just helped the car catch fire by pulling a few wires under the hood. Next think you know, an explosion."

"But they said there was a body," Jude said slowly. "You didn't…kill someone did you?"

"Oh, me? I would never…hurt…a…soul," Brian enunciated each word in his drunken manner. "I found a homeless man who was very sick, and he became my unwitting assistant."

"Even drunk, you still are a smooth talker," she muttered.

"Of course I am. How else would I get to where I am today? People love me," he said, sweeping the gun around in a grand gesture.

"Uh huh, you're delusional," Jude said, clearly unimpressed. "So, tell me what I'm doing here."

"Not so fast. I think we should talk a little about what you've been doing lately. I've heard around town about how you've been living with a family here. Tell me about them. All of them." His face took on a sinister expression.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Jude, Jude, I would just like to know who's been taking care of my dear stepdaughter in my unfortunate absence. Besides, after I'm done with them, it won't matter after all, will it?"

"You leave them out of this. They haven't done anything to you," Jude was gradually losing her calm face. She fought to keep her composure.

"They've helped you, which is enough for me to offended about. But you're the one I'm after. You who have made my life utterly miserable. I've done everything to get you out of my life, but you keep coming back," Brian began pacing back and forth, with the gun still pointed in her face.

"Then why don't you just leave me alone? If you don't want to have anything to do with me, why do you keep coming back?" Brian didn't answer, but continued wearing a path in the ground.

"Frankly, life would be too boring," he said, looking at her as if she was out of her mind. "I thought you would have figured that out by now."

"I'm sorry, I had no idea," she muttered.

"I'm surprised that you can still keep up that innocent act of yours. You know very well what you've done," Brian said. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said cautiously.

"Oh, I think you do," he replied sharply. The sound of rocks clattering caused him to take his gaze off her for a split second. "What was that?" he asked, startled, before regaining his composure. "Must have been nothing, just a bat or something," he mumbled. Jude still sat there waiting for him to continue.

"What could I possibly have that you would want? That you would go to all this trouble for?"

"Don't mock me. Are you mocking me?" he asked somewhat nervously.

"Why would I do that? You have the gun, don't you?" she rolled her eyes. This constant go-around of words was starting to get to her. If he would just get to the point, then this nightmare would end all the sooner. But no, he just continued talking, wildly rambling on about all he had done for her and this was how she had repaid him.

"Never underestimate a desperate man," he said in a rare moment of complete lucidity. "Now, I know you have what I've been looking for. After you ran away, I went into your room. You had knocked over the picture frame and I saw that something was poking out of the side. I read your mother's letter and I know about the bank account number. The only thing that's missing is that chain! Where did you hide it? Tell me!" Brian was growing angrier by the second. The gun in his hand began to shake as his barely concealed rage began to surface.

"It's gone. You can't get to it anymore. I got rid of it," Jude told him defiantly. "So, you're out of luck. Sorry." His eyes narrowed even further as he contemplated this turn of events. Another scattering of rocks behind him drew his attention and he accidentally dropped the flashlight. Jude took advantage of the chaotic moment and as quietly as possible slipped down into the water behind her. She tried to block all images and flashbacks from her mind and concentrate on staying above water, which was extremely difficult due to the fact that her hands were still tied.

"Hey! Where'd you go?" Brian roared behind her. She could hear him swear loudly and frantically clatter around in the dark searching for her. "Where'd you go?" he repeated. "Get back here now!" A few seconds later, he had found the light and clicked it back on. Jude ducked behind a large outcropping of rocks jutting out of the water and held her breath. She could see the light tracing the water as it came closer. It passed over her hiding spot, and she let out a shaky sigh. Brian continued to rant and rave as he ran down another of the passageways, calling her name. Then she knew. She couldn't leave. Running away would only prolong the cycle. This was the way it was going to end. Jude turned around to swim back, but someone grabbed her from behind. For a split second, all the terrible memories she had suppressed came to the front of her mind. A hand clapped over her mouth before she could scream, and she was whipped around only to find herself staring wide-eyed at Bradin. He took his hand off her mouth and began to work at the knots in the rope.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, trying to keep her voice low, while still treading water. She noticed that his chain necklace was gone, probably lost somewhere in the cave.

"I saw the note," he muttered. "I came to get you." The last knot came undone, and the rope fell into the water.

"To what? Try and rescue me?" she said.

"If you needed it."

"Get out of here now," she ordered. "This isn't your fight."

"You're coming with me," he said stubbornly. "I'm not leaving you with some lunatic with a gun." He tugged her towards the entrance.

"No." The single word caused him to stop completely. She pulled away from him.

"What?"

"I need you to leave," she said, pushing against him. "Go. Now. Before he comes back."

"You're joking," he said incredulously, searching her face in the dim light.

"If he finds you here, he might hurt you. I can handle him. Go!"

"But…why?" Bradin asked in bewilderment.

"I have to end this. I can't run away from this any longer." She tried to force him to move.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said firmly. Jude felt a mixture of anger, fear, and sadness. Why couldn't he see? There was no way she was going to lose another friend. In the midst of her reverie, she had forgotten about Brian. Suddenly, a beam of light fell on the two of them.

"Well, what do we have here?" Brian asked in a sinister tone. He motioned with the gun. "Get up here now." They climbed out of the water and stood there, dripping water. "Come closer," he ordered, shining the light at them. "And keep your hands where I can see them."

"Well, if it isn't the boyfriend here to save the day? Did she tell you what happened to the last guy who tried to save her?"

"She's told me enough," Bradin said boldly. "Like the fact that you're a raving lunatic." Jude stared at him. What was he doing? Brian was the one with the weapon. This was all turning out like something out of a horror movie.

"Oh, I'm flattered." Brian said. "But unfortunately, we have to get back to business. Where is that necklace?" He pulled slightly on the trigger. "I've waited this long. I'm not afraid to shoot. This time, I'll be sure to take care of all the witnesses." He pointedly looked at Jude.

"Why'd you do it?" she surprised herself by asking. "Why Stephen? You didn't have to kill him!"

"I didn't kill him," Brian said with a short, harsh laugh. "You did. The moment you became such good friends with him, his fate was set. He was willing to do anything for you, and he did. You could have saved him, but because you were scared and weak, he saved you instead. And your mother. You could have saved her and your brother, but you didn't." Every word he spoke was like a knife driving into her. She stared at him, her mouth slightly open from shock.

"I did something wrong. My decision caused him to die," she said. "And I've been paying for that choice for the last 2 years. But you didn't have to pull the trigger. He died because you were angry and drunk. Because you couldn't handle losing your only link to money. That's what you're all about. Money. You don't care what happens to people around you and how you affect them. As for my mom, she saw right through you. Saw who you had become, and we tried to leave. The crash was an accident. We were so close to being out of your life forever. Then, it would have been back to you looking out for yourself again."

"Funny how we're in such a similar situation," said Brian. "This one might have a happy ending if you'll only tell me where the necklace is."

"I don't know where it is, and that's the truth," Jude told him, throwing a look at Bradin. She looked pointedly at where the chain normally encircled his neck. Bradin was momentarily confused. Comprehension filled his eyes, as he realized what she meant. This only infuriated Brian even more."

"You're lying!" he screamed at them. "Tell me where it is!" His finger slipped on the trigger, and a shot went off and buried itself in the dirt.

"It's gone. Lost," Jude said. "It's over." Brian faltered for a second, long enough for her to spring forward and knock the gun out of his hand. They tumbled to the ground, scrambling to find the gun. Bradin also threw himself into the melee, and they grappled for control of the gun. The flashlight hit the ground, shattering the bulb, and throwing the three of them into complete darkness. Bradin feel the slick metal of the gun just under his fingertips, and but it was ripped from his grasp. He scrambled to his feet, only to be tackled to the ground just as a shot rang out followed by two more, and he felt an agonizing burning sensation in his left arm. He let out a cry of pain, rolled over and grabbed at his arm. Two more shots were fired before silence permeated the cave. And as quickly as the scuffle had begun, it ended.

"Jude? Are you okay?" he called out. He pulled himself up and cradled his arm. Thankfully, the bullet had only grazed him. "Jude?"

"I'm here," she said, her voice sounding breathless. "Brian's…gone. I think." Bradin crawled towards her voice.

"Are you hurt?" he tried to make out her features in the dim light. The long pause told him enough.

"My side…hurts." Jude could feel the wound bleeding.

"How bad is it?" he asked. A sinking feeling filled his chest, causing him to momentarily forget the pain in his arm.

"Could be worse. I think hurts more than it's actually serious," was her answer. "It's not enough to kill me. I'll live."

"Where'd he go?"

"I don't know. We were fighting for the gun. I tried to get you out of the way. The gun went off. Couldn't move fast enough and got hit." He heard her take a deep, shuddering breath and sniff. "I thought he was going to kill you. I couldn't let that happen. Are you okay? Tell me you're okay!" A quiet sob escaped her.

"My arm got grazed, but I'm going to be fine. Really," he said soothingly. "You're going to be fine too. We need to get out of here." He helped her stand, both of them grimacing from the pain. They slowly began inching their way out of the cave.

"Just one thing I need to tell you first. Before we get out of here. If something would have happened to you, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself," she said, tears streaming down her face. "You…mean a lot to me. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you everything."

"It took me a minute to get why you were wondering why my necklace was gone," he chuckled softly, wincing as pain shot through his arm. "It's right here, in my pocket. I didn't want it to make noise when I was trying to sneak in."

"It's not lost after all?" Jude was surprised. "Which means he'll be back for it." She was resigned. "There's one more thing….I lied to you."

"What?"

"The first time I saw you. I didn't know it was you. The night when you were out on the rocks…I was on the beach." She said each word haltingly. "I saw you."

"It was you," he breathed. "All this time…It was you?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. At first, I didn't want anyone to know because I was trying to run away. Later, I didn't because I didn't know what you'd think of me." She stopped to lean again the wall, breathing heavily. "That night was the first time I'd really been in water since the car accident. And I wasn't afraid. And I haven't been afraid since then. You gave me a reason to hope. That I might have a normal life someday. And I…."

"Thank you," his eyes were full of some emotion she couldn't figure out. "I wouldn't have made it without you. How am I ever going to repay you?"

"You already have," she told him. "Every single day that I've been with you, those things saved me. Kept me from doing something I'd regret." He opened his mouth to protest that he hadn't done anything, and she placed her hand over his mouth, effectively silencing him. "There's nothing to repay," she whispered. The sounds of approaching sirens broke into the moment. They stumbled the remaining few feet to the entrance and were suddenly surrounded by a wave of policemen, paramedics, Bradin's worried family, and even Ms. Jamison was there.

"Bradin!" Ava ran up and was about to give him a hug, before noticing his arm, and gingerly embraced him. "We were so worried! Nikki started going on about some fake note and how you guys were in trouble. Finally, we called the police. How bad is it?"

"I'll be fine," he answered, before being bombarded by Nikki and Derrick, who both burst into tears at seeing him. He tried to reassure them that he would be okay, but they continued to cry.

Everyone was talking at once, and in the midst of the commotion, Bradin and Jude were separated. He was being treated by two paramedics, when he realized she was gone. As he scanned the crowd, he saw her being whisked away into a different ambulance. He tried to go to her, but Ava stopped him. "Let go of me! I want to go with her!"

"You can't," Ms. Jamison came up next to him. "We're taking her into protective custody. Her stepfather's still out there somewhere. Until he's caught, she's going to have to be in hiding."

"Can't I say good-bye?" The words sounded plaintive, even to him. She contemplated for a moment and spoke to the paramedics briefly, before nodding tersely. He made his way through the crowd and to the other ambulance.

"Jude." She looked up from where she was lying. "I wanted you to have this." He took out the chain and was about to place it in her hand, when she gently curled his fingers around it.

"Keep it," she said, the tears starting to fall again. "I'll come back for it."

"Jude, I…." he tried to speak but failed. Then she kissed him. A desperate, longing kiss that embodied all that remained unspoken between them. A good-bye of sorts.

Their moment was over too fast, and the ambulance was ready to leave. He climbed out of the back and stood there in the sand watching. He caught one more glimpse of her before the doors closed. Then she was gone.

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**All right, we're almost there! I'm so excited to finish a story, you have no idea. Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! By the way, the title is inspired by Lifehouse. Sorry it took so long, I had trouble figuring out how I wanted it to end.  
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	18. Right Here Waiting

**Well, here it is: the end of my story. I'm so excited to have finally completed it.**

**ShiaLover09: You were one of my first reviewers, and I'm so glad that you stuck around through the entire thing! Thanks so much for the encouragement and all those messages. You're pretty amazing:) We actually did it, we completed both of our stories! Who would have thought?  
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**angel-prncess-18: I also wanted to thank you for all of your reviews. I've enjoyed all of them. By the way, thanks for the award, I'll be sure to put it on my desk and look at it every day:) And you said my story was amazing...that makes me incredibly happy.  
**

**6Ellie6: Thank you so much for reviewing! You're a great writer too, and I'm glad you've enjoyed this story! I probably would have finished it without readers, but people like you make it much easier to continue. All the encouragement is much appreciated.**

**Thank you to everyone else who ever read this story and/or reviewed! You've all been amazing!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except my own characters.**

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Once again, here he was, standing in the sand and watching the early morning waves crash onto the shore. Several months had passed since that fateful day when he had offered to help a stranger, and in doing so had been thrown into an experience he would not soon forget. Those few weeks had been some of the best, and yet bittersweet moments of his life. And yet, he wouldn't change a thing. Even still, if he closed his eyes, he could see her standing there laughing at his futile attempts to be humorous. There was so much that had never been said. Would he ever get the chance to see her again? The probability of that happening was slim. Brian was still out there terrorizing the general population, while she was forced to live in secrecy. Life could be painfully ironic sometimes. "I guess the good guys don't always win," he said aloud, the words carried away by the wind.

His injured arm was almost completely healed, only a long ragged scar that ran down the length of his forearm remained to remind him of that day. Every time Bradin closed his eyes, he could still picture the darkness of the cave and hear the gunshots echo in the silence. Sometimes at night, he would wake up after reliving the scene in his dreams. Now, he could kind of understand why Jude didn't always sleep well at night. But maybe, with time, the dreams would fade away.

He wanted to see her, the need to talk to her, to tell her everything he was feeling, was overwhelming at times. In fact, he'd become a regular presence on Ms. Jamison's voicemail, but her answer still remained the same. Jude wasn't going to be able to contact him until the situation with her stepfather was completely resolved. It was for his own good, she said. What she really meant was that he needed to get a life and move on. But how was he supposed to do that when his life was so intertwined with someone whom he couldn't even see?

The day he'd met her, he never would have though that she would have such a great impact on him. Without even trying to, she'd shown him things about himself that he hadn't even known. And that was exactly what he needed, to be shown that he couldn't do everything by himself. Although she had said that he was always there to save her, in reality, she had saved him first. Now, here he was, unable to do anything to help her.

He carried the chain necklace around with him everywhere, even if he wasn't wearing it. It was the last tangible memory he had of her. While standing there, Bradin absentmindedly rubbed the chain and distractedly ran it through his fingers over and over again. What a mess this thing had created. But perhaps, this was the beauty of it all. One choice had changed their lives. She had decided not to run away from her problems, but to face them. And it had cost her greatly. What else could he do but follow her example?

That was why he had come here in the first place. It was time for him to take a chance. He picked up the surf board that had been lying on the sand. The board felt strangely familiar in his hands. Bradin took a deep breath before slowly walking into the water. The waves were perfect this morning, nice and full. He had tried to get back in the water several times since his accident, but each time had ended with him having a flashback and having to immediately get out of the water. This time was different. No images flashed before his eyes. He paddled beyond the waves, pulled himself onto his board, and rested for a moment. "You were right, Jude," he mused. "The memories do go away. With time…." He looked behind him and saw that the next wave was perfect. Bradin paddled forward and caught the wave at the right moment. The ride was exhilarating. He really had missed being in the water.

After a few more waves, he decided to stop for the morning. As exciting as it was, his heart just wasn't into it. He lay on the sand, his head resting on one arm. He still missed her. Everyone, including his family, thought that he would get over her leaving sooner or later. He'd heard them talking about him, when they thought he was out of the room. But after awhile, they had realized that maybe this was a different case. Maybe he'd truly fallen for someone. The one person he couldn't have. Although he went through the motions of normal life, something about him had changed. He was a little more serious now, not the carefree individual who had no thoughts of tomorrow.

He dropped off his board up at the house before making his way to the pier, one of the few places he went to clear his thoughts. The ladder to the top was as decrepit as ever, and each rung creaked as he climbed to the top. Bradin stood there for a moment, surveying the old pier. The railing that he and Jude had fallen through had been replaced, and the new boards were a sharp contrast with the rest of the aging structure. A breeze had begun to blow, and the pier creaked even louder. A strange metallic glint caught his attention. Something was hanging on an old nail and gently clinking against the wood. His breath caught in his throat as he reached out and took the chain in his hand. It was identical to the one that hung around his neck. This was his. The chain that had been switched was now here in his hand. He had visited this place many times in the past weeks, and no chain had been there. A flicker of hope welled up within him momentarily. He glanced around quickly, hoping that if he turned around, she would be standing behind him. But as he turned, he already knew that she wouldn't be there. Bradin sighed heavily. He hadn't know that it would hurt like this. Slowly, he climbed down and wandered aimlessly down the beach. Before he realized it, he was standing by the rocks where they had first met. Bradin pulled himself up on the ledge and sat there, his face buried in his hands. He missed her. The chain was tightly clenched in his fist as he recalled their last conversation. _"Keep it. I'll come back for it."_ Well, he was still here, and she wasn't.

Even though things felt completely hopeless, he was going to keep his last words to her. "No matter what," he said aloud, the words being swept away by the wind. "When you come back, I'll still be here waiting," he promised. He didn't know how long he had been there when he realized that the sun was now overhead. As Bradin stood to leave, a voice caused him to stop in his tracks.

"Hey," the single word pierced his consciousness. His heart seemed to stop, and he felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. Bradin slowly turned around. There she was, standing below the ledge, looking up at him. He blinked several times, silently willing it to be true.

"Is this a dream?" he asked, his eyes meeting hers. She shook her head.

"No, you're not dreaming," Jude told him. "I'm really here." In an instant, he had jumped off the rocks next to her, and they were embracing, both laughing and crying at the same time. He kissed her for a long moment, and then pulled away to drink in the sight of her.

"I've been waiting for you."

"I heard."

"How are you doing?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer. Did she still feel the same about him?

"Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. How have you been?"

"I'm doing great, now that you're here," he said, still having trouble believing that she was here. "Then he's gone?"

"They finally caught up to him a few weeks ago. He'll be in prison for a long time."

"Why didn't you come sooner?" the question sounded trite, but he couldn't help himself.

"The legal aspect took some time…and I wanted to talk to Stephen's family. They deserved to know what happened," she explained, still sniffling happily.

"I've missed you," he said. "It's been awful without you,"

"I wanted to stay, but couldn't."

"I understand now. It took awhile, but I do now. I would have done the same thing too if it meant keeping you safe." He suddenly remembered what he had said earlier. "Here," he said, placing the chain he'd been carrying around for months in her hand. "This is for you." She smiled at him.

"You kept it."

"It's yours."

"I never wanted the money. Actually, I want your family to have it." He started to protest, but she stopped him. "You've given me so much. This is just something I can give back. Keep it. You might need it later."

"Are you going to stick around for good this time?"

"As long as you want me to," she said. He just looked at her, not wanting her to leave his sight. There was so much that could be said. "What is it?" she asked, wondering at his intense gaze. He shook away all the questions and thoughts that filled his head.

"Nothing that can't wait," he told her, finally feeling peaceful at last. "I just want to be with you, right here, right now." The questions could wait. They had all the time in the world.

The End

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**So, it's done. Finally. A little shorter than normal, but there was nothing else I could do to it. I pulled out all the stops for the title: Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx (a completely sappy song from the good old 80s). I hope that the ending wasn't disappointing or anything. For some reason, I couldn't have a sad ending. I think I'm losing my edge...But, thank you everyone for reading! It's been an awesome time! Man, this sounds like an award acceptance speech. Anyways, I'll be back soon, so keep an eye out for me:)**

**Ash Riley**


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